


On Angels Wings

by Lycanwolff



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-01-04
Packaged: 2018-05-11 18:30:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 23
Words: 148,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5637349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lycanwolff/pseuds/Lycanwolff
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All their lives, they had thought they were the last Angelika in existence, but their entire world gets turned upside down when they discover that that's not entirely true. They soon find themselves neck deep in not only a war they didn't know was still going on, but also in trying to understand who they are in the process. Wing!AU featuring pretty much the whole cast of KnB.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Episode 1

**On Angels Wings**

A _KnB_ Fanfiction

By: Lycanwolff

 

**Author's Note: WING AU!! You've been warned! Same boys, same cast, completely different world. Just enjoy it for what it is.**

 

_**Daiki: Oi! We're on guys! Cameras are on in five!** _

_**Taiga: I'm ready! Jesus! Do you have any idea long it takes to get these damn things on?** _

_**Shintarō: Almost as long as it does to split your eyebrows?** _

_**Taiga: Oi!** _

_**Seijūrō: Quick bickering. The whole cast is ready to go, so get ready.** _

_**Tetsuya: Who's reading the Prologue again?** _

_**Daiki: I am.** _

_**Lycanwolff: Daiki! Here's the script. Just be smooth and calm about it.** _

_**Daiki: Am I not usually smooth and calm?** _

_**Taiga: Never.** _

_**Daiki: Imma punch you in the face, Bakagami.** _

_**Lycanwolff: Take your places everyone! Your on in five... four... three... two... one** _

* * *

 

**Prologue**

 

Some say the Angel War was the pinnacle of war, that it showed the Human race's true colors and how they truly view what they simply don't understand. To some, they were angels, to others, monsters, but in the end, the conflict ended with only a single truth; The complete genocide of the Angelika.

It was sixteen years ago in the year 2021 when the skies rained down blood that was the same color as mans, covering the soil in red that matched the sky at sunset. Their screams were carried on the wind from horizon to horizon, never stopping, never taking a breath. They fought back, of course, with their weapons that were on par with the Humans, and they might have had a chance if it wasn't for the lack of one, simple thing; The Angelika lacked the ability to be cruel.

Sixteen years ago, an entire race of intelligent beings was wiped from existence, but sixteen years ago, seven were born.

This is their story.

* * *

 

**Episode 1**

 

Year: 2037

 

The sun hadn't come up yet. The sky was still that dark shadow that was pierced with tiny holes, allowing spots of light to flicker like a million beacons. There was no moon in those early hours of the morning, but that twinkling sky was being watched by a set of dark blue eyes.

Daiki Aomine, a sixteen year old boy whom stood 6'3 with a lean build, short navy colored hair and dark caramel skin, stood atop the run down apartment building where he and his brothers lived. It was a forgotten building, one that most people would miss if they blinked, but to them, it was home. The only one they had ever known.

Night was the only time he could stand in the open air and not have to wear it. It was the only time he could feel the wind against his back and not fear being hunted. The dark blue of long feathers was hidden against the darkness of the night sky and it even afforded him the ability to look over the side of the roof and watch the people below.

Without even having to think, he knew those very people would scream if they saw him in that moment, with wings unbound and free. It was painful to wear the harness that bound them against his body, and every chance he got, he stood outside under the cover of darkness simply feel what he could never have.

Freedom.

The sound of the rooftop door opening pulled his attention away from the morning crowd below as one of his brothers emerged. Taiga Kagami was nearly the same height as him, with the same build, but with lighter skin. His slightly longer hair was a two toned red, just like his wings, and his eyes were a deep shade of crimson.

“Hey.” Daiki said lowly, rolling his shoulders a bit to relieve a tension just between his wings.

“You should probably come inside.” Taiga said, never stepping away from the door he held open.

Daiki released a long sigh, “Why?” He asked, glancing back over his shoulder and moving his left wing enough so he could see.

“The morning news chopper's gonna be flying by soon.” Taiga said.

“Right... Anyone else up?” Daiki asked as he turned around to face his brother and took a few steps away from the side of the waist high, concrete barrier of the roof.

“Akashi, Kuroko and Midorima are all up. Kise and Murasakibara are still asleep though.” Taiga said, the long feathers of his wings rustling a bit against the cold concrete of the floor.

Daiki nodded as he sucked in a deep, lung filling breath and stretched his arms high over his head, his wings extending high above to flex their muscle. He yawned wide as he stretched, if at all to buy him those last precious seconds before he was forced to become a caged bird, but with the long distance buffet of the incoming chopper that went by every morning, he knew it was time to disappear inside.

Lowering his wings in close, Daiki stepped passed Taiga and headed down the stairs towards their apartment. Taiga let the door close and tucked his wings in tight to pull the long primary feathers inside so they didn't get stuck in the door. That had happened before, and it felt awful, almost as bad as having to put on the harness.

The boys walked through another door at the bottom of the stairs and emerged out into their large studio apartment with seven beds. It was pretty bare, but it was maintained well and had everything they needed. The kitchen was stocked, the living room space was arranged so they all could see the TV without being cramped and the shower space was cordoned off large enough for even the largest of them to stretch his massive wings. The soft snores of the two remaining boys fluttered up from where their beds were and in the kitchen, the other three whom were awake were preparing their meals.

“Morning, Aomine-kun.” Tetsuya said, the smallest of them with sky blue eyes and cerulean hair, as he took a sip of his freshly brewed hot tea and flattened his smaller cerulean colored wings against his back in order to sit.

“Morning.” Daiki said quietly as he padded his bare feet towards the kitchen for something to eat.

“I hope you were able to finish your homework last night. I know the subject matter grates against your nerves.” Seijūrō said without looking up, his bright red wings trailing on the floor behind him.

“More like sets them on fire.” Daiki said plainly, snatching a box of cereal from the cupboard along with a bowl.

“We don't really have much of a choice.” Shintarō said, already seated at the table with his cereal and watching the morning news on the TV.

“Yeah, I know that, but I really didn't wanna do the last half of the history assignment.” Daiki said, his words laced with a growl as he turned a chair around backwards to sit down, as he hated the feel of the cheap vinyl against his wings.

“The half that pertains to the Angel War.” Shintarō said, his words drawn down as he looked at his brother.

Daiki nodded as he poured his cereal, “Yeah. Don't really wanna learn about how they butchered everybody else.”

“I'd see your point if we _knew_ anybody else.” Taiga said, clapping a hand down on Daiki's bare shoulder before sitting down.

“You're correct, Taiga. We've only ever known each other. The ones who perished during the war are strangers to us.” Seijūrō said, sipping his tea.

“Doesn't mean I wanna read about it. Even after sixteen years, they still talk like we're the worst things ever to breath air.” Daiki scoffed before stuffing a spoonful of breakfast into his mouth.

“They fear what they don't understand.” Shintarō said, returning his emerald green gaze back to the news.

“We don't.” Daiki said.

“You're wrong, Daiki. We do and that's because we were raised by the very race that eradicated the Angelika. We live in fear of them.” Seijūrō said, finishing with preparing his breakfast before turning around to look at them all.

“I don't really wanna talk about this... Not today.” Daiki said with a huff as he continued to eat.

“How come you're so down this morning, Aomine-kun?” Tetsuya asked, setting his tea down to lift a long feather and pluck a wisp of dust from its end.

“Today's the day.” Daiki said plainly.

Everyone stopped as they regarded each other, how their different colored eyes all matched with the same thought. They had forgotten in their short years, the day they were left on their own to somehow survive without guidance. Luckily for them, they were cared for by an old woman until the day she died and left them a small inheritance. Today was that day where they were set adrift in uncertainty.

“You're right, Daiki. Thank you for reminding us.” Seijūrō said softly as he set his hand down on Daiki's shoulder.

The five that were awake fell into silence as they let their minds go blank, eating their breakfast, listening to the TV and periodically glancing at the clock. They would soon have to begin getting ready for school and that meant, putting it on.

Sucking in a deep breath, Daiki rinsed his bowl and placed it into the dishwasher, but he stared down at the floor as he steeled himself for what was to come. None of them could put the harness on by themselves, but every morning, they did to hide their wings. Every time the leather retched their wings down against their backs, the ache set in, but they had to do it.

“Hey, Aomine... Could you give me a hand?” Taiga called from near the living room space.

Daiki knew exactly what he was wanting, so blowing out his held breath, he padded over to where Taiga stood in just his boxers, holding the leather buckled harness. It was a contraption that looked more akin to a torture chamber, as it had been designed to flatten their wings completely to their backs. He could see the apprehensive look in Taiga's eyes as he threaded his arms through the shoulder straps and buckled the hip belt, as he didn't want to do this.

Daiki stepped in behind him and grasped the first wing buckle, hooping the buckled band onto the elbow of his brother's wing before doing the same to the other. They were still loose, but when Daiki stepped around to Taiga's front and grasped the loose ends of the straps, he dropped his weight and pulled.

Taiga winced and softly hissed as the pain set into his wings, the straps pulling them hard against his back and stretching the muscles until they were dangerously close to unnatural levels. The throbbing ache was hot, as if he had overextended his muscles during a workout. He felt the hot and cold shiver shoot down his spine and down his long legs, reaching his toes where it tingled and smoldered. It always felt like this in the morning, but given some time, the thumping ache would ease until he could, at least, ignore it.

Daiki pursed his lips together as he yanked once more on the straps, causing Taiga to hiss again before he pinned the strap on the small peg and buckled it tight. The harness was on and once Taiga got dressed for school, no one would be the wiser.

“Thanks.” He groaned out, taking an extra second to let the ache ease up before leaning back against the couch to strap the rest of his wings to each of his legs.

Another strong hiss broke the silence and both looked back to see Tetsuya gritting his teeth together as Seijūrō buckled his harness and Shintarō was in the process of buckling the hip belt as he waited for his turn.

“Guess it's my turn.” Daiki sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he went to retrieve his harness from under his bed.

“Please wake Ryōta and Atsushi first.” Seijūrō said blandly as he finished buckling Tetsuya's harness and sucked in a deep breath when Shintarō stepped in behind him.

Daiki didn't say a thing as the tall green haired boy with glasses dropped his weight and yanked Seijūrō's wings in hard, as he was headed for the two still in bed. Ryōta, a tall boy of 6'2, with golden hair and eyes and wings that glistened gold in the sun, was asleep on his side with his wings hanging off the bed. He was still softly snoring, but with a quick shove of his shoulder covered in pale skin, his golden eyes began to flutter open.

“Wha?... What's going on?” Ryōta mumbled as he yawned and snuggled into his pillow.

“It's time to get up. We've got school.” Daiki said bluntly before going to the largest of them.

Atsushi Murasakibara, the tallest of them with shoulder length purple hair and violet eyes, was asleep on his stomach with his massive purple wings hanging lazily to either side. He was a purple giant whose harness took two people to get on, as his wings were so large, that they were strong enough to resist the harness if only one person was yanking them down. If they didn't use two people to buckle him in, then his wings would actually win against the harness.

“Hey... Murasakibara... Wake up.” Daiki said, shoving the giant's shoulder.

However, Atsushi merely groaned and turned his head to the other side to hide his face from view.

Daiki's brows furrowed as Shintarō hissed sharply from his harness, but ignored it to continue trying to roust the titan.

“Hey... Get your ass up.” Daiki said a bit louder and with another shove.

With a hard sniffle that his ears caught, Atsushi's voice finally fluttered up from his pillow.

“I don't wanna.” Atsushi said with another sniffle as he refused to look up from the puff held tightly in his arms.

“We've gotta get it on you, dude. Get up.” Daiki said as his hand came down on Atsushi's back, right between his lazy wings.

With a massive yelp, Atsushi's whole 6'10 frame went rigid as he pressed his face into his pillow, his body shaking as more muffled sniffles met their ears. They all heard it and when they did, they glanced at each other with concern in their eyes.

“Hey... What's wrong?” Ryōta asked as he knelt down next to Atsushi's bed, resting his hand on the back of his brother's head.

“I hurt.” Atsushi's muffled voice whimpered, accompanied with more sniffles.

“What hurts?” Ryōta asked, glancing up at Daiki, whom just shrugged.

Finally, with a hard sniffle, Atsushi lifted his face from his pillow, revealing his red and puffy eyes that told them all that he had been crying. It wasn't that he was asleep and didn't want to get up, it was that he was in pain and couldn't.

“Oh no... Murasakibaracchi... You're seized up again, huh.” Ryōta said softly with sad eyes as he brushed Atsushi's hair from his face.

Atsushi nodded, “I can't move them. It hurts too much. I don't wanna put it on.” His voice cracked as a large tear fell free from his eye.

“Murasakibaracchi-” Ryōta breathed out softly, but was cut off.

“Stay home today, Atsushi. Whose turn is it to stay with him?” Seijūrō asked, carefully pulling on his uniform shirt so it wouldn't catch on any feathers.

“It's mine.” Shintarō said with a noticeable sigh of relief.

“Care for Atsushi. This weekend, we'll go to the cabin and stretch our wings.” Seijūrō said as he buttoned his shirt.

“Can't we just live there?” Atsushi grumbled with another sniffle as Ryōta unbuckled Shintarō from his harness.

“I wish we could, but you know that's not possible.” Seijūrō said with kindness in his voice.

“I know.” Atsushi said ultra softly.

With a heavy sigh of relief as his large green wings sprung free, Shintarō took a few minutes while the others dressed to stretched his wings high towards the ceiling. The longer they were outstretched, the better he felt, and soon, he was ready to help Atsushi find relief.

He went to the bathroom and opened the free standing storage shelving to find a jar of hot-cold rub before he padded over to where Atsushi still lay and sat down without jarring the poor boy.

“We'll bring you two any homework. Take good care of him, Shintarō.” Seijūrō said, helping Tetsuya adjust his wings to relieve even a tiny amount of ache.

A sharp pop that was immediately followed by Daiki's cry drew their attention as he dropped onto all fours, gritting his teeth together hard as he sucked in ragged breath after ragged breath. Each time he exhaled, his breath hissed through his teeth and his eyes were heavy with a glassy sheen that he blinked in order to try and keep at bay.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Daiki gripped his hands together and dropped his forehead down to rest it against them, simply breathing through the hot fire from his bound wings, but each exhale was laced with a whimper that none could ignore.

“Goddammit!... It happened again!” Daiki growled, his deeper voice cracking as he spoke and shook his head.

“Which one popped?” Taiga asked, kneeling down next to him and resting a gentle hand on his wings.

Daiki sniffled, “Right... The elbow popped and snapped against the ulnar.” His voice broke more as he refused to lift his head.

“You gonna be alright?” Shintarō asked from the bed, gently massaging the cooling gel into Atsushi's skin all over the giant expanse of his bare back.

With another hard sniffle, Daiki finally sat up, but stayed on his knees as he dried his face and pressed on his eyes to push back the unshed tears. The white hot heat from having the main nerve in his right wing so brutally punched was finally leveling off, but the painful pops were happening more and more. He was not far away from being in the same situation as Atsushi and they were far, far overdue for a weekend at the cabin.

“I might be the next to seize if I don't get a break from this.” Daiki said, blowing out a much steadier breath as he got to his feet.

“We are drastically overdue for a weekend. Atsushi is seizing more and more frequently, and I fear permanent damage is setting in.” Seijūrō said, fully dressed and looking entirely human.

Shintarō finished coating Atsushi's back with the cooling gel and stood, gently grasping one of the huge purple wings and ever so slowly, began to stretch out its impressive width. Each inch made Atsushi whimper a bit, but he toughed through it until Shintarō stood ten feet away at his wing's full span. Atsushi's full wingspan from tip to tip was twenty feet.

“We aren't there just yet, but we're close. We should take a few more days instead of just the weekend. His wing's elbow is a bit swollen.” Shintarō said, resting the large wing down so he could examine the joint covered in small, tightly packed purple feathers.

“Then we will. I'll make the arrangements today at school.” Seijūrō said as he packed up his bag.

“Thank god.” Daiki breathed out, rolling his shoulders to adjust himself that tiny bit to be as comfortable has he could.

“We'll get to fly?” Atsushi asked, his sniffles gone as Shintarō wrapped an ice pack around the elbow of his extended wing.

“Yes. I think we all could use it.” Seijūrō said with a nod before tucking his lunch into his bag.

“Can we do a canyon run?” Atsushi asked, swallowing down his light sniffle as he eyeballed the small redhead.

“Of course, Atsushi.” Seijūrō said, pulling the shoulder strap of his bag up onto his shoulder.

“Fuck yes.” Daiki started to smile as he loosely tied his neck tie and pulled on his black cardigan sweater.

“I'll pack for us after I get Murasakibara moving.” Shintarō said, moving on to Atsushi's other wing to ice its elbow.

Seijūrō nodded, “Very well,” he looked at his watch, “Are the rest of you ready?” He asked as he looked at everyone.

The others all nodded as they gathered their bags, dressed and ready for school and left their apartment out into the quickly warming air. The sun was beginning to crest over the mountains way off in the distance and the stars were gone, meaning that the safety blanket that was the night sky had vanished.

People walked passed them without even looking up from whatever devices they held, none of them the wiser as to what was bound and hidden beneath their school uniforms. It gave them that tiny pang of belonging, but they knew it was all based on the assumption that they were Human and it would evaporate the moment their shirts were removed. If any of the Humans they walked passed on the way to school knew what they actually were, it would spell a massive amount of trouble.

They waited for the bus to come and took their usual seats, said their usual greetings to the driver and rode in silence towards school only a short ten minute drive away. The morning was no different than all the other mornings, being spent in silence while the boys observed the people around them, watching to see if anyone suspected. They were always vigilant like this, even with those they considered friends.

As they stepped off the bus, one such friend was waving at them with her usual wide smile in place and bright pink eyes. Her long and flowing pink hair was caught in the morning breeze, causing it to flutter around her cute face and slender neck as she trotted up to the five boys.

“Dai-Chan! Hey guys!” Satsuki squealed, waving and still smiling wide.

“Hey, Satsuki.” Daiki said plainly, drawing in a deep breath as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

As she looked at the five, her smile soon faded as she clutched her books to her ample bosom, “Oh... Where's Midorin and Muk-kun? Are they gonna be late?”

“Atsushi wasn't feeling well, so Shintarō stayed home to help care for him.” Seijūrō said as he rolled his shoulders back a bit to stand up straighter, making it much more comfortable for his hidden wings.

“Oh... Maybe I should go over and see-” She was interrupted.

“That won't be necessary. I'm sure it's just a cold. He's in capable hands with Shintarō there.” Seijūrō said, producing an ultra soft smile to reassure her.

“Ok... Well, give him my best.” Satsuki said with her smile returning.

“We shall.” Seijūrō said.

The group began to walk towards the school along with the horde of other students, all seemingly jovial for the coming weekend. Many had a few plans, most were just looking forward to sleeping in, but for the boys, they just wanted to get to their hidden cabin and stretch their wings.

They entered the school building and started up the stairs to their second story classroom with Satsuki right beside them, chatting away about how her and some of her girlfriends were looking at going to a new mall that had just opened up nearby. She invited them, but they declined, much to her displeasure.

As they entered the class, the teacher ordered everyone to their seats, where the boys headed for their row of seven along the windows. Daiki plopped down in his normal chair, being the last one in the back corner, but instead of leaning back like most of the other students, he leaned forward and rested his arms on the desk. All of them did, as leaning back pressed their bound wings further against their backs and it was always just enough to make the elbows scream with discomfort. Instead of trying, they simply afforded themselves that small reprieve.

As the teacher started on with their class, Daiki simply stared out the window, watching the breeze blow the trees and the birds ride the wind. It made his chest throb with jealousy that they got to be so free, but he found solace in that he would soon join them once the day was out.

He was content to watch them and let the day pass him by until Satsuki's hushed voice broke him from his reverie.

“Hey, Dai-Chan?” Satsuki whispered as she poked his shoulder.

“Hmm?” He hummed, turning his head just in time to see her reach out.

He went rigid when her fingers grazed the back of his neck, but when the sharp, hair raising pluck snapped into existence, he bit his lip to keep from yelping out.

“What's this?” Satsuki asked, delicately holding a soft, dark blue feather between her fingers.

Daiki's throat rumbled as he blew out his held breath and tightly gripped his hands together into a single balled fist. He looked at Taiga whose worried eyes spoke volumes, but when Daiki's eyes narrowed and returned to normal, Taiga simply watched to see what would unfold.

“What's what?” Daiki asked plainly, as he eyeballed what she held.

“This pretty blue feather. It was on your collar.” Satsuki said, softly smiling as she caressed the soft feather that reflected with shimmers of sapphire blue.

Daiki shrugged, “I don't know. Didn't know it was there.” He said, looking towards the windows to wince as the spot from where the feather was plucked strongly throbbed.

“It's really pretty. I wonder what kind of bird it came from.” Satsuki said, gently unfurling the feather and enjoying the softness against her fingertips.

“Who knows.” Daiki scoffed before meeting Taiga's gaze once more.

He mouthed the word 'ow', but kept his cool as he returned his attention to the teacher's lesson, how they droned on about the previous day's subject that was the Angel War. Since the boys were born at the very end of the war, they never knew what happened, or how it started. This was their only way to learn about how their race was believed to be wiped out and just by readying the textbooks and hearing the teacher, it was very much one sided.

After a long morning, the lunch bell finally let them loose, and as per their usual, the boys headed upstairs to the rooftop to get some fresh air and as per her usual, Satsuki followed.

“I think I'm gonna keep the feather, Dai-Chan. Do you mind?” She asked sweetly, having never stopped playing with the feather all morning.

“I don't care. It's just a feather.” Daiki scoffed before glancing at the others.

“Thank you, Dai-Chan!” She yelped with a wide smile.

They stepped out into the freeing warm air and sucked in huge lungfuls, giving them that brief moment of freedom before they sat down along the ridge at the base of the tall fence, and brought out their lunches.

“So you guys are really sure you don't wanna come with us to the mall?” Satsuki asked as she happily ate her bento.

“We're sure, Momoicchi. Thank you though. We've already got plans.” Ryōta said without looking up from his food.

“Oh? You do?” Satsuki asked curiously.

Taiga jabbed an elbow into Ryōta's side, making the blonde flinch, “Yeah. Headed camping this weekend.” He said with a deadpanned stare at his blonde brother.

“Camping? That sounds so fun! Can I-”

“No!” Daiki snapped with a stern glare at her.

Satsuki leaned away from him a bit, “Oh... Ok. I-I just thought that maybe it could be fun.” She said quietly and all while avoiding his gaze.

“What he meant to say, was perhaps another time, Satsuki.” Seijūrō said with a bit of a harsh glare at Daiki that he refused to look at.

Satsuki's smile began to return, “Ok... They're probably boys weekends huh.”

Daiki nodded, “Yeah. It's just kinda our time to get away for a bit... I didn't mean to snap at you like that. It's kind of a tradition, I guess.” He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“It's alright, Dai-Chan. I understand. I didn't mean to intrude.” Satsuki said with sincerity before returning to eating her meal.

“It's alright.” Daiki said, producing a small smile to help convey his meaning.

The merry little group fell silent as they ate and enjoyed the sun and fresh air, feeling the breeze against what skin was exposed and it was so inviting, so luscious that all the boys softly gulped with their want. Ryōta's breath even caught on his Adam's apple with his sheer desire to feel the warm breeze wash through his golden feathers and it wasn't lost on any of the others. They all took their own moments to breath in as much of the air as possible before needing to go back inside.

As Seijūrō finished his lunch, his phone vibrated in his pocket, drawing his attention out of his head as he pulled it out and flipped it open. He had a new text message and without even a change in his blank expression, he opened and read it.

 

_:Shintarō Midorima: Finally got Murasakibara moving. He's up and around. Gonna start packing here soon._

_:Seijūrō: Good to hear. Don't forget the radios and the music speaker._

_:Shintarō Midorima: Got it. What about food?_

_:Seijūrō: We'll take care of it on our way home._

_:Shintarō Midorima: Alright._

 

Seijūrō closed his phone and glanced at the others, simply sending them a short nod that everything was alright and that there wasn't anything to worry about. Without a single spoken word, they all understood and as the lunch bell rang out to call their break to an end, they packed up their things and headed back to class.

They all sat back down as the teacher resumed their lecture, continuing his aged monotone that droned on like jet engines. The lesson seemed never ending, trudging along as if they were trying to wade through a swamp and listening to historical battles that occurred during the Angel War. They paid attention, if at all to be able to fulfill their assignments, and when it was finally time to be cut loose to at least get a bit of work done, they sighed with relief.

“Dai-Chan? Can you help me with this question?” Satsuki asked near immediately, poking Daiki in the bicep with her pencil that was topped with a fluffy pink puffball.

“What about it? The answer's in the text.” Daiki scoffed, plopping his head down into his hand as he stared out the window.

“But it's worded weird.” Satsuki said with a sad frown.

“She's got a point, Ahomine. It's asking for the definitive point where the Battle of Pacific Sky was shifted into the Humans' favor when General Harasawa lead the charge, but the text glances over it.” Taiga chimed in as he turned around just enough in his seat to look at Daiki.

Daiki scoffed and shrugged, “Like I said... It's in the text.” He didn't bother looking away from the window.

Satsuki stared at the back of his head, her pink eyes soft and sad at his gruff demeanor. He was usually a bit more on the abrasive side, but today seemed different, like it was a particular day that he hated. He didn't want to make eye contact, nor did he wish to say more than a few words. She could tell there was something on his mind, so she stood from her chair next to his and went to place her hand on his back.

The slightest pressure was all it took for him to jump, flinching hard as his head whipped around to stare at her. It startled her enough to immediately take her hand away, thinking that perhaps she had gone too far.

“D-Dai-Chan? I'm sorry... I forgot you don't like your back touched.” Satsuki said, softly biting her bottom lip with the thought that she was about to get scolded.

Daiki released his held breath and relaxed his muscles, “It's ok, Satsuki... I've been in a funk all day. I just really need this weekend.” He forced himself to lightly smile to make himself look convincing.

“I understand... Is there anything I can do to help?” Satsuki asked sweetly, sitting back down and picking up the dark blue feather she had kept all day.

Daiki shook his head, “No... I'll be back to my old self after the weekend.”

“Once we get back. I think we're taking an extra few days.” Taiga added, chewing on his pencil as he listened in.

Daiki nodded, “Yeah... You're right.”

“Oh... Well, I'll make sure to take extra notes for you for when you get back. Ok, Dai-Chan?” Satsuki asked, her soft frown turning up into an equally as soft smile.

“Thanks. Hopefully you don't mind us all using them.” Taiga said, turning to look at Tetsuya whom had poked him in the shoulder.

“Not at all, Kagamin. I can write up more than one copy so that all of you can have them. That way you don't have to share.” Satsuki said with a wide smile.

“We could have shared. We've been sharing everything all our lives.” Tetsuya said before scribbling an answer down on his sheet of paper.

“Not willingly.” Daiki grumbled to himself.

“Sure we have! You let Kurokocchi borrow your hair gel that one-” Ryōta started, only to be smacked in the face with Daiki's thrown textbook.

Taiga, Tetsuya and Satsuki all started to chuckle as Ryōta rubbed his nose, lightly pressing on it to make sure it wasn't broken. Luckily, it wasn't, and as he set the book down on Taiga's desk, his eyes glistened with an irritated shine.

“That hurt, Aominecchi! Why would you do that?” Ryōta snapped with irritation, still rubbing his nose and drying his eyes.

“Because you talk to much, Kise. Shut up.” Daiki said with a sidelong glare.

Ryōta crinkled his nose and growled, “Mean!”

“Quiet down class!” The teacher boomed from his desk.

The entire class quieted down with Ryōta sticking his tongue out at Daiki and crinkling his nose again. It throbbed from getting hit with a book, but considering Daiki's mood, he really wasn't willing to take things any further. They were all anxious to get out of the city for the weekend and with a simple, short sigh, they all passed the time to the end of the day.

The final bell rang and released the horde of students out into the warm afternoon sun. The sky was still stark blue, but was smeared with soft yellows and rich oranges from the sun that crawled closer to the evening horizon. The breeze was still soft and as they always did every time they stepped out into the open air, the boys took in deep breaths.

“You guys really like being outside... It's so cute.” Satsuki softly chuckled as she walked by Daiki's side.

“It just feels stifling inside is all. The air is almost stale.” Tetsuya said, lightly smiling as he clutched his bag to his shoulder high enough to not bump against his hidden wings.

“I bet. Can I walk home with you guys?” Satsuki asked kindly.

“Actually, we're headed to the store to get some food and things for the cabin, so we're headed in the other direction. I do bid you a great weekend, Satsuki. Enjoy your time at the mall.” Seijūrō said, stopping at the sidewalk and pointing down the direction they needed to go.

“Alright. I'll talk to you guys later.” Satsuki said softly as she tucked her arms into her chest, still with the feather clutched in her hands.

Daiki lightly sighed and hesitated a moment, but with her being one of their friends, he needed to part on decent terms. He took his hands out of his pockets and wrapped his arms around her, trapping her arms between them and held it for a moment before releasing his hold.

“Sounds good, Satsuki. Sorry for being such a pain today.” Daiki said, slipping his hands pack into his pockets.

“It's ok, Dai-Chan. Bye guys!” Satsuki beamed.

The boys waved goodbye before following Seijūrō towards the store, where they picked up snacks, items that were easily cooked and plenty to drink for the lot of them. It was a considerable hoard and with no car to take for themselves to lug it all, they would need to pack several large duffels, along with their clothes and bedding and cart it all to the cabin on the bus.

Their arms loaded with groceries, the boys got home and set it all on the counter, where Shintarō and Atsushi started to pack it into the food duffels. Between the two of them, they had packed for the five others, filling their bags for the long weekend and setting them down in the middle of the apartment and neatly piled into a pyramid.

“Did you pack the radios and the speaker?” Seijūrō asked as he pulled off his uniform sweater and loosened his tie.

Shintarō nodded, “Yes. They're in your bag.” He said, pointing to the bright red duffel on the bottom of the stack.

“What about bathroom stuff?” Taiga asked, pulling his twin colored crimson duffel from the pile and opening the zipper to give things a quick look.

“No! Why the hell would I pack your bathroom kit? It's bad enough packing your underwear!” Shintarō reeled with a gentle blush shading his cheeks.

“You didn't try them on did you?” Taiga snickered, rather enjoying rattling the green-haired boy's nerves even more.

Shintarō's entire face was beat red, “N-N-N-No! W-Why would anyone do that? What's wrong with you!”

Taiga and Daiki both chuckled at just how disheveled Shintarō was with the whole thing as they resumed their packing, making sure that they had everything they needed, plus a little extra just in case. They had clothes, bath kits, food and water, sodas, teas and even sports drinks to accompany the monstrous amounts of food. The radios were packed and while Seijūrō picked up the GPS from his nightstand, the others strapped on their large packs and clipped thigh bags to their legs. Everything was ready to go and after getting Shintarō and Atsushi into their harnesses, all they had to do, was head out the door.

Their apartment locked, the seven boys marched down the stairs and out into the mid-afternoon sun, loaded with their long weekend's worth of things. They made it to the bus stop just in time to climb on, and much like they always did, they sat in silence and watched the others around them. No one gave them more than short glances before going about their business without a care. Everyone was at peace and when the bus hissed and started towards the edge of the city, the boys finally began to feel relief.

Soon, they would be free.

* * *

 

_**  
Daiki: Woohoo! First episode down! Now I can take a nap.** _

_**Taiga: Got your lines memorized for the next episode?** _

_**Daiki: (Glares) Yes! I'll be fine!** _

_**Tetsuya: Just make sure you're ready. Lycanwolff-kun is paying us a lot of money to work.** _

_**Ryōta: Well yeah, I mean, we needed jobs after the show ended. What better way to earn cash than by doing another gig?** _

_**Atsushi: I needed money for snacks. Lycan-Chin pays, therefore, I work.** _

_**Shintarō: You mean you work for more than just candy?** _

_**Atsushi: I'll crush you, Mido-Chin.** _

_**Seijūrō: I promise all of you watching, that we're actually grateful for the work.** _

_**Lycanwolff: See you soon for Episode 2! Thanks for watching!** _

 

 


	2. Episode 2

**Episode 2**

 

**Author's Note: _Italics_ means radio chatter.**

 

The crisp morning air at the cabin was laced with the scent of evergreens and dew, sprinkled with that subtle sweetness that energized the blood. It was a perfect mountain morning at the small cabin nestled deep in the woods where boys with wings the color of the rainbow were asleep.

The first thing they had done once they finally reached the cabin was shed their harnesses, spreading their wings to as wide as they could go before giving them a strong downbeat, lifting them into the air a few feet before softly landing back onto the soft dirt. Just that simple thing was enough to lift the weight of the week from their shoulders and for Atsushi, whom just that morning couldn't even move his wings, it was almost like taking in a breath after being underwater for too long.

With the hour late by the time they had gotten to the cabin, they simply got everything set up for the long weekend whether it be starting a warm fire, or preparing dinner, all while walking around with no shirts on to let the soft breeze graze their skin. They laughed, they ate and once the sky had turned black with its thick peppering of stars and silver of a new moon, they all went to the cliff not far from the cabin to watch the stars.

They had all laid down on their stomachs and watched over the cliff at the horizon, extending their wings to let the stronger breeze caress their feathers with gentle rustles. None of them could explain it, but the feeling was so liberating, so freeing that by the time they went to bed, it was well after midnight.

No wonder the boys were sleeping in.

The warmth of the sun finally heated the inside of their cabin enough to wake them, each breathing in warmed breaths as they stretched their wings and pushed themselves up from their beds with the knowledge that today was the day they would get to fly.

“What time is it?” Taiga asked lazily through his yawn as he cleared his eyes from the sleep stuck in their corners.

“Who cares. Can we do our canyon run now?” Atsushi asked dully, stretching his arms high over his head and his wings out wide to crowd some of the other boys.

With the sheer size of his lavender colored wings, his primary feathers rustled into Daiki's face, tickling his nose just enough to cause him to sneeze.

“Eh! You got snot on them!” Atsushi complained, bringing his left wing to him so he could clean the spot.

“Then don't stick your damn chicken down in my face!” Daiki barked with irritation as he threw a pillow at the large teenager.

“Why do you talk about your feathers like that? Don't you like your wings?” Atsushi growled back with furrowed brows, releasing his wing once he was satisfied that there was no more snot on his feathers.

“Oi!” Daiki growled.

Their bickering was soon ended once Ryōta got out of bed and the blanket fell away from his form, revealing that he was completely naked and sparkling in all his golden glory.

“Goddammit, Kise! Put some clothes on!” Daiki reeled, instantly slapping his hand over his eyes.

“What?” he shrugged innocently, “My golden feathers aren't the only thing needing to be freed you know.” Ryōta pouted before stretching and wrapping his wings around him like a robe.

However, he was soon pelted with six pillows, knocking him to the wooden floor of their cabin in a heap of feathers, skin and down puffing up into the air.

The other boys laughed as they rousted from their beds and put pants on, going to the small kitchen to decide on what to do for breakfast. All of them had their minds set on the one thing they had planned for the day, and that was the canyon run. It was a flight path they had taken on many occasions, and it was wracked with obstacles, sharp turns, steep altitude changes and even a waterfall pass-through before being cut loose to fly through open sky. It was a fantastic run, as beautiful as the most intricate of paintings and it was one of the very few reasons why they could still use their wings.

“I suppose I should ask what time we should do the canyon run.” Seijūrō said, sipping his tea as he worked a puzzle from the book he had brought.

“Now.” Atsushi said almost instantly, stuffing a large spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

“What about just after lunch? Give the day some time to warm up a bit.” Shintarō said, pushing up his glasses before digging through his duffel for what to wear for the day.

“Consider the sun's position, Shintarō. With it right overhead, our shadows will be accurate.” Seijūrō said without even looking up from his puzzle.

“We could do an evening run when the canyon is shadowed.” Taiga said, pulling on his tank top, whose back was lowly cut to allow his wings to move without chafing his feathers against the material.

“Then we run into the same issue as right now. It'll be chilly when we've moving that fast.” Tetsuya said, giving Taiga a hand in zipping up the custom tank top in the back so it form fit around his torso.

“Oi, Tetsu... What were we clocked at last time?” Daiki asked, sitting on his bed and tying his boots.

“If I remember right, the GPS said our average was 110 miles an hour.” Tetsuya said, pulling a spiral notebook from his duffel and opening it to his current log page.

“That's it? What was our max?” Daiki asked with lightly furrowed brows.

“Um-” he skimmed through his pages, “149 miles an hour. That was three weeks ago.” Tetsuya said, his sky blue eyes never lifting from his log.

“Dammit! We're so close to breaking 150!” Daiki growled with a grind in his teeth.

“If we didn't have to wind break for that pair of fighting birds, we would have. That was during the straight.” Tetsuya said, tapping his log where he had made of note of it.

“I hate wind breaking.” Atsushi mumbled dully as he poured his third bowl of cereal.

“We all do, Murasakibaracchi. It ruffles my feathers so bad, it takes me hours to straighten them out.” Ryōta pouted as he ran his hand delicately down his golden primary feathers on his right wing.

“After the wind break, we didn't break 90, so that makes sense.” Tetsuya said, tapping his chin as he read.

“You guys are so slow! I wanna find a place to do a speed run so I can really see how fast I can go.” Daiki grinned crookedly as he began to stretch his arms and legs.

“Why don't you just hit your ceiling and dive.” Shintarō said, finally deciding on his top that was a form fitting black muscle shirt with a similar zip up back like Taiga's that stopped in the middle of his spine.

“Because anyone can hit huge speeds in a dive. I wanna see how fast I can go in horizontal flight.” Daiki said, deciding not to wear a shirt; At all.

“You're more than welcome to take the GPS and go out solo, Daiki. Just be watchful and make sure you don't travel anywhere near Human civilization.” Seijūrō said, setting his pen down in his book and closing it as he finished his tea.

“I've thought about it, but I don't think I really wanna risk it.” Daiki said with a scoff as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“It's your call, Daiki.” Seijūrō said simply as he stood.

The boys finished their array of breakfasts and finished getting dressed, some wearing the low backed shirts while others decided to stay shirtless in the form of Daiki and Ryōta. The others all wore variations of the same muscle shirt, with either short sleeves, or no sleeves, and all were lowly cut and zipped in the back. Putting a normal shirt on over their heads was a pain in the ass and on more than one occasion had resulted in getting stuck because a wing didn't want to cooperate and most of the time, it was Atsushi.

Their bellies full, they emptied their thigh packs and buckled them on, tightening them around their legs before they put a few things inside to take with them. There was water and sport drinks, some snacks for when they inevitably got hungry and Tetsuya slipped the GPS into his before plopping its six companion nods into his brothers' packs. He held no delusions that they would fly as fast as possible, and it would take everything his wings could produce to keep up, but he also knew they wouldn't leave him behind.

“I'm ready. Lets go.” Atsushi said, cracking his knuckles before giving his giant wings a quick rustle to loosen the feathers.

“Very well, Atsushi. Lets head to the cliff.” Seijūrō said as he clipped the earpiece of their interlinked radios to his right ear with the mic around his neck.

They all did the same so that they were in contact with each other at high speeds. It made it easy to keep track of everyone when they were not always within sight of each other, but so long as they could hear each others voices, they knew they were all alright.

Stepping out into the quickly warming sun, the boys spread their wings to loosen their stiffened elbows before turning to head towards the cliff a short walk away. The sun's golden rays beamed through the tree tops, breaking apart the cool shadows that darkened the dirt and every time they touched their skin, it instantly warmed them to the bone. It was therapeutic, calming to their minds and when the cliff's edge came into view, they lined up side by side and looked out.

The mid-morning view was gleaming, sparkling with golden sun, emerald colored water and bright blue sky. The canyon was a deep red, rusty in color and speckled with green patches. The wind blew through their feathers and hair, inviting them to come, calling to them as if a siren's call to a sailor's desperate ears. Their breath left their lungs in shaky waves as their skin pimpled with anticipation and all smiled as they closed their eyes and drew in deep breaths of the wild air. To them, it was like getting to shower after a hard day's work and it smelled of wild woods and freedom. They were near their limit of waiting and each one knew it.

“Finish line is the waterfall.” Seijūrō said with an official air to his voice.

“Aye!” The rest of the boys said in unison.

As a stronger gust of wind began to pick up speed, their arms spread out to their sides, staying parallel with their wings that were tip to tip. The wind seemed to say their names and with the briefest of moments where the wind picked up speed, they dove.

The rush of falling on wing was so exhilarating that their hearts hammered with delight, spurring their blood to rush through their veins as if propelled by the some outside force. Their feathers stayed rigid despite the rush of wind and when they finally, after having fallen halfway into the canyon, they beat their wings and took off.

Free falling had been one spectacular sensation, but the sudden jolt of propelling themselves forward with their own wings made them howl with their enthusiasm. Each beat of their wings sped them up until they were going so fast that the canyon's walls were bleeding together into one giant smear.

At the start of their run, the canyon was still wide, so they formed up into a flying V with Seijūrō on point, leading them through the wide space with smooth banks to follow the curve of the canyon walls. Despite the speed, each could still see with perfect clarity as Seijūrō tucked his bright red wings to spin, performing a smooth lateral roll that all the boys copied before down-beating to maintain their blistering pace.

 _“Canyon narrows in 1,000 feet. Line up.”_ Came Tetsuya's voice in all their ears.

Seijūrō stayed exactly where he was as the others fell back into a single file line with Atsushi in the back, spreading his wings wide to glide and slow for the brief moment to open up a space for Shintarō to slid in front of him. The moment the green-haired boy was in place, whose hair was billowing in the rushing wind, he flapped his wings hard to resume his speed and with the boys lined up in their line, right on time, the canyon narrowed until it was only a few feet off their wingtips.

 _“Stay sharp. S-curves beginning in 2,000 feet.”_ Tetsuya's voice said to them.

 _“Go faster! Lets do a speed run!”_ Daiki grinned wide, his wings aching to pick up the pace.

 _“We're already going 85 miles an hour, Aomine-kun.”_ Tetsuya said, having access to the GPS via the heads up display in his eyepiece over his right eye.

 _“That's it? Jesus! Pick it up!”_ Daiki was laughing.

Just as Tetsuya predicted, the canyon began to curve sharply, forcing them all to bank to near vertical levels to make the curves. One after another, the curves banked, turning near ninety degrees from left to right in rapid succession. Where one curve would end, the other would begin only a couple hundred feet ahead and at their speeds, that only afforded them a second to act. They would tuck their wings and turn vertical in the direction they were going, easily making the curve before needing to do it again in the other direction.

 _“Dive approaching in 1,500 feet.”_ Tetsuya announced in their ears.

They followed the curvature of the river that was only fifty feet below and when it dropped off as if it just ended without a trace, Seijūrō banked up hard and flew straight up, closely followed by the others before arcing back to enter his dive. The seven of them curled around into a perfect circle before reforming their straight line and diving down, tucking their wings to follow the waterfall that plummeted to the lake below. The sound of the water was drowned out by the rush of the wind and they were moving so fast, that despite being only fifteen feet from the water, they couldn't feel the spray against their skin.

 _“Speed check!”_ Daiki hooted, as he was having the time of his life.

 _“110... 112... 114... 116-”_ Tetsuya counted off from his heads up display.

 _“How far to the straight?”_ Daiki asked, his eyes narrowing for a brief second as the point they would need to level out approached.

 _“3 miles.”_ Tetsuya said.

The jagged rocks that were crowned with trees was their apex and the second they reached them they pulled up hard to level out. With the wide lake opening up the space, they broke their line formation and flew side by side, beating their wings to continue their supreme forward movement that was riding their shoulders of a long couple of weeks of pretending to be Human.

 _“Tetsu... Am I linked in with your headset?”_ Daiki asked, flying by Taiga's side with Tetsuya on the other, putting Taiga between them.

 _“You can be.”_ Tetsuya said without hesitation.

 _“I want you to clock me on the headset.”_ Daiki said a bit bluntly.

 _“Come here then.”_ Tetsuya said.

 _“Kagami... Switch with me.”_ Daiki said, keeping his eyes locked straight ahead as the far off straight drew closer by the second.

 _“Roger... Spinning in Three... Two... One-”_ Taiga counted off.

The second Taiga said the last number, Daiki wrapped his wings around him and spun to his right towards Taiga, but Taiga had done the same thing and rolled left. The two spun over each other and when they had switched places, their wings spread out wide and stopped their lateral spin in an instant.

 _“Gods I love doing that!”_ Taiga beamed, beating his wings and lowering his altitude just enough to skim the surface of the emerald green lake with his hand.

 _“Let me know when you've got me.”_ Daiki said as he flew straight and true.

 _“You're linked in, Aomine-kun. You have the green light.”_ Tetsuya said.

Up ahead, the canyon narrowed once more to no wider than what it was before. They would need to file up once more, but Daiki was aching for the straight, desperate to reach it and see how fast he could go. The straight was only a little over two miles long, it was a drag strip for him, but it was enough to test out his salt.

The moment Tetsuya gave him the green light, Daiki took off, giving his wings a strong down beat to begin pulling ahead.

 _“Still reading?”_ Daiki asked, beating his wings more and more and more to pick up speed.

 _“Yup. Have you breaking 120, Aomine-kun.”_ Tetsuya said as the boys began to form up their line with the approaching straight just up ahead.

The others were behind him, flying right on his heels, but Daiki continued to downbeat his wings with as much strength as he had, each one increasing his speed. He could feel it against his bare, sun kissed skin and as Tetsuya announced his speed in his ear, his mouth tweaked into a crooked grin.

 _“120... 125... 130... 135-”_ Tetsuya's clear voice said to him.

 _“Faster... I can do faster.”_ Daiki said, gritting his teeth as he beat his wings down with more and more power.

Like a bullet through a gun's barrel, Daiki was through the threshold of the straight well ahead of the others and still continued to pull ahead with each powerful beat. He wanted to go faster, needed to go faster, needed to see how fast his dark blue wings could carry him. He knew he could go faster, something in his gut told him he could and he needed to try and sate that nagging voice.

 _“S curves approaching in 1,000 feet.”_ Tetsuya's voice said, breaking Daiki free of his thoughts.

 _“What? Already? That can't be it!”_ Daiki yelped as he spread his feathers to slow and allow the others to catch up.

 _“You hit 149.5.”_ Tetsuya said calmly.

 _“Goddammit! Why can't I break 150! I need more space!”_ Daiki growled, gritting his teeth together as he bowled his feathers to air break just as the others whisked by beneath him.

 _“It's only a two mile straight, Aomine-kun. You need open sky.”_ Tetsuya said as he sped ahead beneath the boy.

 _“Yeah right... And risk getting seen? I'll pass.”_ Daiki grumbled, easily picking up the pace and flying just above the line.

 _“Wise decision, Daiki.”_ Seijūrō said calmly.

 _“Dropping in front of you, Midorima.”_ Daiki said as Shintarō wasted not a second in providing enough room.

Just before the S curves started once more, Daiki dropped into the line and banked hard left, following only a short distance behind Taiga as they banked right in a smoother curve. These curves weren't nearly as tight as the others, but they still needed to bank to make the turns. While turning, they kept their wings flat, but coming out of the banks, they flapped to maintain their speed.

It was a short distance until the red rock archways arrived and each boy broke off onto their own path. Daiki dropped low and flew through the archways with Taiga and Shintarō close behind while Tetsuya, Seijūrō and Ryōta went higher to skim over the top. It was Atsushi whom decided to make his wings work as he alternated between the two, diving to sweep under an archway before pulling up and going over the next.

Each time he curved over the top, he tucked his large wings and spun in a lateral roll before diving again to make the next archway. His wings movements were so precise, so on point that even coming out of the dive he would spin and bank up. His long arms would curl around his body as if he was dancing and his hair was slicked back against his head from the sheer wind. He continued his over and under path until Tetsuya's voice piped into his ear.

 _“Splash through in 1,000 feet.”_ The sky blue boy said, and that was all the cue to form up in their line once more.

With Seijūrō once again on point, they lined up with Atsushi in the back as the distant waterfall appeared out from behind a massive red boulder, splashing and spraying everything the white water could touch and darkening the red stone. At first glance, the waterfall appeared to be solid, an impassible barrier, but they new better, as just behind it, halfway up and between the twin rocks on the side of the falls, there was a short tunnel.

Sucking in a deep breath, the boys tucked their wings and splashed through the waterfall, immediately consumed by a short lived darkness before splashing out the side where the second waterfall was. They had dubbed them the Twin Falls and with the small pass through, it made for a wet and cooling ending to their run.

However, Atsushi didn't want to be done, so instead of slowing to a hover like the rest, he banked up and flapped his wings, carrying him up higher and higher with his violet eyes set on the clouds high above.

 _“Oi! Where you going, Murasakibara?”_ Came Taiga's voice.

 _“Up! I'm going up! I want sky! I want clouds!”_ Atsushi called back, beating his huge wings more and more, pushing him higher and higher.

 _“I'm coming too!”_ Taiga's voice said.

 _“Highest one wins!”_ Atsushi smiled.

 _“You're on!”_ Taiga beamed.

His two toned crimson wings were alive as he forced them down in huge beats, accelerating him up and gaining on the heels his brother. He could see Atsushi above him, as the giant's wings were equally as big and smooth in their motions like a bird during its migration. However, where Daiki's determination to go faster was his own, Taiga's desire, his infallible, undiluted desire, was to go higher.

Atsushi wasn't the fastest of them, no, that belonged to Daiki, so it only took a little bit of effort to rush passed the lavender giant. He never looked down as he climbed, the clouds coming closer and closer, appearing like marshmallow fluff on the top of a perfect blue cake. He had to reach unthinkable heights, wasn't afraid of them, as he trusted his abilities and his wings down to every fiber of his being.

 _“The air's so thin... I can't go any higher.”_ Came Atsushi's voice fluttering into his ear.

 _“How high are you?”_ Taiga asked, still climbing, still reaching and still beating his wings as the clouds rush by him.

 _“Bringing up his GPS node, one sec... It says 10,000 feet.”_ Tetsuya's voice said.

Taiga smirked as he continued to climb, never taking his eyes off the sky that was so blue that it felt like a dream. The sun's rays were caressing his skin like soft lips and all he wanted was for more. More beats, more long sucks of air into his lungs and with each foot that whisked by, he climbed, until he couldn't climb anymore.

The air was thin and cold enough that his skin felt as if it was covered in ice, but he still felt warm. He felt like he was being heated from the inside and cooled from the outside, a perfect unison that regulated the temperature of his wings that felt uplifted. He still wanted to go higher, but he couldn't bring himself to as he hovered, looking out at the wide globe in front of him and there was only one word his mind could think; Beautiful.

 _“New record, Kagami-kun. Maximum altitude reached at 20,000 feet.”_ Tetsuya said, almost sounding like a pilot.

Taiga beamed wide, _“Hell yeah! Make sure to mark that down in your log, Tetsu.”_

 _“Will do. Come on down.”_ Tetsuya said.

Taiga continued to smile as he gave the world another moment of admiration, but then he arced back, his arms spread out wide as he leaned back and twisted into a dive. At that height, the wind was almost soundless, being only a whisper as he dove back through the clouds, the air warming with every passing foot that counted down. He never stopped smiling as he broke through the clouds to immediately see Atsushi hovering and waiting for him far below, but that's when his sharp eyes saw something odd off in the distance.

He spread his wings and slowed his decent until he hovered, watching the far off object with slightly narrowed eyes to see through the brightness of the day. He couldn't quite make it out, but it appeared wide spread and stationary.

“Hey guys? I see something off in the distance.”Taiga said into his radio, still watching what almost seemed like a mirage with its wavy bands of the sun's heat.

 _“What is it?”_ Seijūrō's voice asked.

“I don't know, but it looks like some kind of... I don't know... A town maybe?” Taiga said, shielding his eyes with his hand in an attempt to see better.

 _“Which way?”_ Came Atsushi's voice.

“Northeast... Just shy of the horizon.” Taiga said, now using both hands to shield his eyes from the sun.

 _“I see it, Kaga-Chin. What is it?”_ Atsushi's voice asked.

 _“Come on down, you two. The rest of us are at 5,000 feet.”_ Seijūrō said.

“Roger... On our way down.” Taiga released a sigh.

They paid that one last second to watch the structure before arcing down into a dive, immediately spotting the others a ways below. They tucked their wings to close the gap as fast as possible and as the pair spread their wings out to slow, they came to a gentle hover until they were right next to them.

“Is that it over there?” Seijūrō asked, pointing out towards what was now a series of structures.

Taiga nodded, “Yeah. Is it a town?”

“It didn't used to be there, at least none of us ever saw it and we've been doing these runs forever.” Ryōta said, his golden wings seeming to sparkle in the bright sun.

“But we've never gone up to 25,000 feet before either. At that height, Taiga was afforded a greater distance to view.” Seijūrō said, still looking out towards the strange grouping of buildings.

“Lets go check it out. We'll stay low and land on that cliff there... See it?” Daiki asked, pointing towards a high cliff that overlooked the plain that housed the buildings.

“Do you really think that's such a good idea?” Shintarō asked, looking off into the distance like everyone else.

Daiki shrugged, “Why not? Don't you think we need to know what's out here if they're so close to our flight paths?” He looked at everyone.

“I suppose Aominecchi has a point. We need to know if they have an airstrip, or helicopters, or something.” Ryōta added.

“And if they do, we might need to move the cabin.” Seijūrō finished.

“What? We can't do that! That's ours! It's our only place to find freedom!” Daiki reeled, furrowing his brows hard and tightening his jaw.

“I agree, Daiki, but with that in mind, lets go check it out. If they don't have anything like that, we won't have to.” Seijūrō said calmly.

Daiki hissed through his nose once before sighing and relaxing his fists, “Alright. I'll follow you.”

With just a curt nod, Seijūrō curved around and started towards the cliff that Daiki had pointed out, being more East than Northeast. They flew in their V formation at a slow and steady pace, letting their hearts slow from their hard run just for some exercise. They let their wings hover straight out to glide and it was such a peaceful flight that when they finally, after a ten minutes of easy flying, reached the cliff, they slowed to gentle hovers and touched down.

They wasted no time in tucking their wings as close to their bodies as they could and crouched down, near crawling along the tanned colored dirt until they reached the edge. They flattened themselves against the ground and looked out at the cluster of buildings, seeing that they were overly organized and surrounded by a tall fence that was crowned with curling razor wire. There were many buildings, all rigid in their construction and incredibly angular. They were gray and expressionless, one of which even had a helicopter pad on top and they could see vehicles moving all around, coming and going from the one entrance through the fence. From that far away, they couldn't make out any people, but what really made their brows furrow with curiosity, was the large, multistory and white building that dominated most of the cluster.

“What is it?” Atsushi asked, watching as a large box truck rolled through the front gate.

“That's not a town at all... That looks like... That looks like a military base.” Ryōta said as he tried to make out some details by shielding his eyes.

“A military base? Out here? What for? There's nothing out here.” Daiki said, his brows furrowed.

“Isn't that precisely a good reason to have a military base out here?” Taiga asked antagonistically and with a popped brow as he looked at the boy.

“Shut up, Bakagami.” Daiki glared.

The boys returned to watching the base as the large truck that had rolled through the front gate came to a stop in front of the large white building. It was a simple gray truck with no markings, or identification to speak of, at least not that they could see, but when the back opened and the cargo began to be unloaded, they all gasped.

They stepped out of the back with their hands and feet bound with chain, locked to the one next to them and with black sacs were over their heads, but the one thing that couldn't be hidden, the one thing that told the boys all they needed to know, was the sets of wings on each person's back.

“Oh my god-” Ryōta finally breathed, his mouth agape and his golden eyes wide.

“Angelika?... I-I... I thought we were the last.” Taiga forced himself to speak before gulping down the lump in his throat.

Whomever they were, those in charge funneled the captive Angelika into the large white building, some even jabbing the ends of what looked to be weapons into their sides to prod them along. It took some straining, but the boys could make out that all the Angelika were male.

“W-What're they doing to them?” Tetsuya asked, glancing at Taiga for a moment before looking back at the base.

“There's no way to know, but whatever it is, they don't go willingly.” Seijūrō said, never taking his eyes off the base.

“They're prisoners?... Why the hell are the masses being taught then, that the Angelika are extinct? Why are they lying if there's some right there!” Daiki hissed.

“Hush! I don't you think you realize how far your voice carries.” Seijūrō chastised sharply that caught Daiki a bit off guard.

“Aomine-kun has a point though, Akashi-kun. Why are we being taught that all the Angelika were killed in the Angel War? Why are they hiding that there's some of us left?” Tetsuya asked, worry clear in his voice and mirrored in his eyes.

“If I had such an answer, Tetsuya, I would gladly give it.” Seijūrō said lowly.

They boys continued to watch as the last Angelika stepped out of the truck, clearly larger than the others by the sheer size of his brown wings that dragged along the ground. They glanced at Atsushi whom just watched, his eyes wide and shaking ever so slightly, but he never looked away, never blinked.

As they turned their eyes back to the large Angelika, they held their breath as he started to fight, immediately being surrounded by guards and beaten with their weapons. He was hardly phased as he tossed one guard down, than another, all while the bag was over his head, but their hearts plummeted straight into Hell when the guards opened fire.

The loud pops rang out and echoed on the wind like a scream as the large one dropped to his knees, still trying to fight back, but all too soon, he dropped onto his stomach and didn't move.

“Oh no-” Ryōta whimpered, cupping his hands over his mouth as he watched, unable to look away.

“It's not what you think, Ryōta... There's no blood.” Seijūrō said, somehow calmly.

He was right, as when they dared to look back at the fallen giant, there was no red as some men in white coats exited the building with a low, wheeled cart like the ones found at a lumber store. The guards hoisted his large body onto it where the men in white coats wheeled him inside and disappeared.

“Test subjects?... Is that what they want us for?” Taiga asked, softly gulping as his brows, somehow, furrowed harder.

“Perhaps... I'd almost say that's a safe assumption, but-” Seijūrō tried to say, but was interrupted when a loud, ear splitting alarm sounded off.

The boys watched as the base erupted into a flurry of activity, men running every which direction as they scurried along. A large door in one of the buildings opened up as a chopper was wheeled out, one after another until four were readied and starting to rotate their rotors.

“What's going on? What's their rush?” Atsushi asked as one of the large choppers began to lift off the ground.

“I don't know, but I don't like it.” Taiga said almost too quietly.

“I agree. We should leave.” Seijūrō said as he planted his hands into the dirt and pushed himself up.

As the boys rose to their feet to leave, they glanced back at the choppers that were now all in the air, hovering motionless for a minute before starting to fly forward.

“Oh shit... They're coming this way.” Daiki said, stepping backwards as he watched the choppers.

“No... I don't think they're coming our way... I think they're coming for _us._ ” Taiga's eyes were wide as he stared at the ground at Atsushi's feet.

Atsushi looked down to see a small, blinking light, half covered by dirt and pebbles. It was a solid red and the only reason they hadn't seen it, was because Atsushi had laid down on top of it.

“Oh no-... It's a proxy sensor!... We tripped their perimeter!” Ryōta reeled, stepping back and near frozen with fear as he stared at it.

“You've got to be kidding me-” Daiki growled and wheeled around to take off.

However, as his wings spread wide and readied to downbeat, his dark navy eyes set on four more choppers that were less than a mile out and closing fast that had attempted to sneak up behind them.

“Holy shit-... Go! Fly! Now!” Daiki near screamed.

None of the boys said a thing as their wings downbeat hard, propelling them upwards into the air where they banked around and dove off the cliff. They had to get some distance between them and the choppers, had to get more speed than them, but with eight large choppers in the air and coming straight for them, they couldn't go back to their cabin.

* * *

 

_**Taiga: Hell yeah! That canyon run was fun! We should totally do that again!** _

_**Tetsuya: Read the script for Episode-** _

_**Daiki: (Cups hand over Tetsuya's mouth) Shut up, Tetsu! You'll spoil it!** _

_**Atsushi: I think Kaga-Chin could have gone higher. Why didn't you have him go higher, Lycan-Chin?** _

_**Lycanwolff: (Shrugs) Doesn't 40,000 feet seem a little high? He still had to see the base you know.** _

_**Shintarō: I agree. 40,000 was a bit high. It was a smart last minute change in the script. (Pushes up glasses)** _

_**Lycanwolff: Thank you, Shin-Chan!** _

_**Shintarō: (Freaks out) Don't call me that!** _

 


	3. Episode 3

**Episode 3**

 

Their wings couldn't propel them fast enough, couldn't flap with enough fury to make them go faster. Their hearts were racing so fast that despite their steep dive, they could feel them hammering against their sternums. The helicopters were so fast, far faster than them, but they had maneuverability on their side and when the ground seemed like it was already on them, they pulled up hard to level out and fly as fast and as far away from their cabin as their wings could carry them.

 _“Whatever you do, don't let them split us up!”_ Seijūrō ordered over the howl of the wind, his voice reaching all their ears through their earpieces.

 _“Shouldn't we be splitting up to make us harder to follow?”_ Daiki roared, his wings propelling him faster and faster as he started to pull ahead.

 _“No! We stay together! If one of us gets cornered, the rest can help free them!”_ Seijūrō yelled, gritting his teeth as he flapped, the ground whizzing by beneath him like a belt sander.

 _“We can't lead them back to the cabin, but we've gotta lose them! I have an idea, Akashi-kun!”_ Tetsuya screamed, the mic pressed against his throat picking up his words without trouble.

 _“Then take the lead! You know the terrain the best!”_ Seijūrō snapped.

 _“Keep heading in this direction! There's a thicket of tight forest that should provide us with enough cover!”_ Tetsuya said, his teeth tightly clenched as he flapped his wings as fast and as powerful as he could.

 _“What do you mean by should?”_ Taiga hissed as a bead of panicked sweat was ripped from his forehead from the speed of their flight.

 _“Depends on if the choppers are equipped with IRT radar!”_ Tetsuya said with an uncharacteristic snap in his tone.

 _“IRT radar?”_ Daiki growled hard as he pushed his wings harder, quickly ducking to the left to avoid a larger boulder.

 _“Info-Red Thermal! If they have that, they'll be able to see us through the canopy!”_ Shintarō answered, flying just above Taiga with only enough space so his emerald colored wings wouldn't touch him.

 _“Great... Just fucking great!”_ Daiki snarled.

 _“Less talk! More flying!”_ Taiga roared.

The boys all beat their wings harder, desperate to go faster as the heavy, heart thumping beat of eight choppers howled behind them. They were large choppers, with rotors wide enough to make them look small beneath them and they were so dark in color that there was no hope of seeing them if it wasn't a glaringly sunny day.

 _“GPS has the tree line 3 miles out!”_ Tetsuya's voice suddenly reported.

Gritting his teeth together, Shintarō dared a glance behind him, his eyes shooting wide when he saw just how close the choppers were getting. Each second that ticked by, they got closer, and when they were only a few hundred feet behind them, he swore he felt something zip passed his cheek.

However, with their speed, he couldn't be positive about what it was as it plowed into the dirt below him. He saw for the briefest of seconds the small plume of dust it made, but then it was gone as the boys rushed ahead. The tree line seemed so close, but still just out of reach. It was their best chance to lose the encroaching choppers, their only chance, but in their rushed haste to reach them, they hadn't noticed that two of the eight choppers had broken off from the group.

They were so close to the tree line, but when those two choppers came flying over those very trees, hovering and waiting for them, the boys banked hard right under Tetsuya's direction and blew right underneath the chopper that had tried to cut them off. More tiny plums of dust sprang up from the dirt like tiny geysers, whizzing by like angry bees and none of them, not a single one, wanted to know what was being fired at them.

The ground beneath them started to break apart with a widening river, dropping lower and lower as the boys continued to fly straight. The trees were springing up in random places, forcing them to cluster up and fly close to each without formation. More tiny objects whizzed by and as Atsushi maneuvered himself to cover the group with his larger size and greater wingspan, he spun and caught one in his hand by the tiny red puff on its end.

 _“It's a dart! They don't want us dead! They want us captured!”_ Atsushi growled as he tossed the dart away from them to harmlessly be forgotten.

 _“I won't be caged! I'll die first!”_ Daiki roared, having to really hold himself back, or risk leaving them all behind.

 _“It's currently an option I'm sure they'd entertain, but clustered up like this, they have a better chance at hitting one of us!”_ Seijūrō snapped, his fists clenched as his wings beat even harder.

 _“We don't have a choice, Akashi! We need to get to the trees!”_ Taiga boomed.

 _“We should merge with the tree line coming up soon!”_ Tetsuya said, flying hard at the bottom of the cluster with one eye locked on his heads up display.

 _“That's not gonna be an option!”_ Daiki howled.

The boys looked to their left at the trees they were desperate to get to, only to not see them. The two choppers that had forced them to bank right were flying fast, skimming over the trees and keeping up with the incredible pace the boys had set. They couldn't get to the trees because the choppers had cordoned them off.

 _“Shit! What do we do? We're running out of options!”_ Taiga said, starting to feel an ache in his heart with the idea that they were about to be caught.

 _“Up! We'll go up to our ceiling and hide in the clouds! They won't get there fast enough and we can get away using the cloud cover! We'll be long gone before they get there!”_ Tetsuya chimed in, glancing above him at the others.

 _“Do it!”_ Seijūrō barked.

That's all they needed as they all pulled up to an extreme angle, still beating their wings as they climbed at an incredible speed. The ground fell away from them as if it was free falling, but they didn't see it as they focused on the clouds high above. Since the tree line had been cut off, their best hope was the clouds that were large and white, fluffed like whipped cream on top of a pie. It was their hope, their sanctuary, and it was so close that Tetsuya started to smile until the hottest of fires erupted in his wing.

In that moment, his face dropped as he glanced at his right wing, seeing the plume of red shoot out from underneath it. Sky blue feathers were severed and fell away and the pain was so unbearable, so hot, that his wing just stopped working.

 _“Ah! My wing! It's down!”_ Tetsuya cried out as his upward momentum dropped off and he began to fall.

Atsushi and Shintarō screamed to a hover and looked down, seeing Tetsuya falling away from them with his right wing hanging limp. They could see the blood staining his feathers, being pulled off by the rushing wind and the sight made their hearts drop. He was their brother, the smallest of them, but he always managed to keep up. He was their motivation, their foundation and more often than not, Tetsuya Kuroko was right.

They were family and all each other had.

They glanced at each other for less time than it took to blink before they tucked their wings in close to their bodies and dove, their eyes locked on Tetsuya as he fell towards the ground. His remaining wing was trying to slow his free fall, but with only one wing that was still functional, he was spinning wildly and out of control.

 _“We're coming, Kuroko! Try and stall your spinning!”_ Shintarō called out, the throat mic picking up every word and transmitting it to the others that had continued to climb.

Atsushi and Shintarō were still a short distance off, but they could see Tetsuya spread his wing and holding it firm, providing just enough drag to slow his spin. It was more stable and not so dizzying, but he was still falling out of control and just out of their reach.

 _“Hold it just a second longer! We're almost there!”_ Shintarō called, hoping his voice would help calm the boy.

 _“The choppers are coming! Hurry!”_ Tetsuya's voice said in their ears with his fear blatant in his tone.

Shintarō focused passed Tetsuya to see the group of choppers and they were rising, albeit slowly. They were running out of time to get to Tetsuya and fly to the clouds and if they didn't catch him soon, they would lose their window.

Both he and Atsushi tucked their wings tighter, picking up the last bit of speed before reaching their brother where both reached out and grabbed a limp. Atsushi's large hand clamped down on Tetsuya's arm, while Shintarō grabbed an ankle and with just a tiny amount of strength, Tetsuya was being pulled up and cradled in Atsushi's arms.

With Tetsuya firmly in his grip, Atsushi spread his wings to his full span and downbeat hard, stopping his dive in an instant and shooting upwards, holding Tetsuya tight and close to his chest. The force of the screaming direction change was so strong that despite weighing hardly anything as far as Atsushi was concerned, Tetsuya suddenly felt as if he weighed five hundred pounds.

 _“Go! Fly, Murasakibara! I'm right behind you!”_ Shintarō's voice said in the giant's ear, his massive purple wings thrusting him and his cargo up towards the clouds.

A few more whizzing darts flew by them, missing them by only inches, but Shintarō, somehow, could see them. Every time he looked over his shoulder, he could see the tiny forms of the darts as they came screaming for them. His brain worked on overdrive and factored in every variable, every number of his calculations and he knew, just knew exactly where they were going to go.

Baring his teeth as his jaw tightened, Shintarō shoved his shoulder into Atsushi's side, pushing him over several feet before leaning away hard just as the darts flew by his torso, missing both of them entirely.

 _“What was that for?”_ Atsushi's voice asked, his tremendously powerful downbeats propelling him up higher and higher.

 _“To miss those darts! I can see them! Bank left!”_ Shintarō yelled through his throat mic.

Atsushi did just that and banked left hard, tightening his hold on the now unconscious Tetsuya just as six more darts sped by without hitting their targets, but Shintarō's emerald eyes focused on one more that was now screaming for Atsushi's exposed back. He hadn't seen it because of the main cluster, as it was hidden behind it, but it was lagging behind that tiny fraction that was enough for him to act.

He wrapped his large green wings around his body and spun towards Atsushi until he was right behind him before spreading his wings out, instantly stalling his spin, but the moment he did he reached out and wrapped his hand around the dart. He caught it in mid-air as both continued to fly up, not seeing the others, and the clouds were so close they could smell the ozone. He studied the whole dart before looking down, seeing the closest chopper continuing to rise, but it seemed so far behind, so distant.

However, his keen eyes, slightly narrowed because of the sun, he saw the tiniest figment of movement from the side of the black beast; A person.

Pursing his lips together, Shintarō banked off to provide room, beating his wings harder and harder to climb just a bit more before he wheeled around and threw the dart with as much power as his arm could muster. It left his hand as if it had been shot from the very gun that had fired it and despite the bright light of the sun, he could see until it was consumed by the blackness of the chopper.

He turned back forward and continued to climb just a short pace behind Atsushi where they burst into the clouds to become surrounded by white fluff. They continued up, never taking their eyes off of where they were headed and when the cloud thinned and they emerged out the other side, they could see the others only a few hundred feet away.

 _“Thank god... You got him.”_ Taiga's relieved voice said as they start towards Shintarō and Atsushi.

“He's unconscious though. I think he got hit with a dart.”Shintarō said, maneuvering his wings to come to hover right in front of the titan to look at Tetsuya.

“A dart did that kind of damage?”Daiki asked with disbelief, coming to a hover near the pair.

“Yeah... It punctured right through the meat, but still delivered the drug. Who knows how long Kuroko's gonna be out.”Shintarō swallowed, steadying his breathing as he examined Tetsuya's hanging wing.

“Is his wing broken?”Seijūrō asked, hovering a short space away from the group so not to crowd their wings.

Shintarō shook his head, “I don't think so, but I won't be able to tell until we get on the ground.”

“How far away from the cabin are we?”Ryōta asked, his golden eyes worried as he looked at Tetsuya.

“Give me the GPS.”Seijūrō demanded as he looked at Daiki since he was the closest.

Daiki just nodded as he dug around in Tetsuya's thigh pack, finding and pulling out the small device before firmly planting it into Seijūrō's awaiting hand. He immediately began to work the device while the other boys watched on high alert, listening and waiting to see if the choppers had found them. It was quiet, serene even as Seijūrō studied the GPS's readings and after a minute, he finally spoke.

“We're fifteen miles out from the cabin.”He said without looking up from the small screen.

“Fifteen miles? The cloud cover doesn't stretch that far! How're we gonna get back to the cabin?”Ryōta asked, swallowing down his hurried breaths.

“We aren't. The clouds aren't headed in that direction either, so all we can do is follow the air current to the forest about... five miles out, due North.”Seijūrō said, finally looking up from the GPS screen to look at the others.

Ryōta's eyes saddened, “We aren't gonna get back, are we.”

Seijūrō shook his head as he tucked the GPS into his thigh pouch, “I'm sorry, Ryōta, but no.”

“Then lets get going before the choppers find us again.”Daiki said as he started to move North, only to get yanked back when Shintarō grabbed his arm.

The moment he was jerked back, a dozen darts flew by his face, whizzing by and missing him by only an inch. They were so close that he swore he could feel the breeze they created as they flew by and if it hadn't been for Shintarō, he would have gotten pelted with them.

“They have IRT!”Taiga barked as they all charged forward, headed due North.

 _“Dive at 45 degrees, pitch down! Go!”_ Shintarō called as his wings began to tuck in close to his body.

The others followed suit as they angled down, tucking their wings to pick up as much speed as possible. Atsushi's grip on Tetsuya's limp form tightened, completely surrounding him with his arms to hold him against his chest, or risk him slipping from his grasp. The wind rushed through their feathers and hissed over their skin so fast that it almost felt abrasive, and the faster they went, the more the wind wanted to yank Tetsuya from Atsushi's arms.

They burst through the clouds in a split second, instantly seeing the cluster of choppers only a short distance below the clouds. They started to swing around to give chase, but the boys were so set into their dive that by the time they had pointed their noses towards them, the boys were already far out of their range.

 _“We're almost there! Fly faster!”_ Daiki hollered, his wings tucked so smoothly against his body that the air slipped over him like water over a dolphin's skin.

The further they dove, the closer the thick forest got with its large, interlaced canopy that would help them find shelter, but with the choppers equipped with IRT radar, the only thing that would work to hide them was a cave.

With that in mind, they needed to reach the forest with enough time to run and find one, and with their dive, they had pulled so far ahead that the choppers seemed no bigger than flies. They had a real chance, as the trees reached out for them, the boys spread their wings and braked.

They dropped below the canopy and slowed to smooth hovers, touching down one after another onto the soft dirt that was still a bit moist from the morning dew. They could still hear the choppers far off in the distance, but now that they were on the ground, Atsushi knelt and propped Tetsuya up against a tree.

“Come on, Kuro-Chin. You have to wake up.” Atsushi said, gripping Tetsuya's lolled head to right it.

“He could be out for hours, Murasakibara. We've gotta go and find somewhere to hide before those choppers get here.” Shintarō said, kneeling down next to him and resting his hand on Atsushi's broad shoulder.

“Akashi? Where's the nearest cave?” Taiga asked, his breathing sped up from the adrenaline as he rested his hands on his hips.

Seijūrō furiously worked the GPS, “I'm looking... I'm looking.”

With a sudden snap of a branch, the boys were startled as Shintarō shot to his full height and wheeled around, his stance wide and crouched with his wings arced high over his head. His teeth bared as his fists clenched and his eyes set on a cloaked figure a few paces away.

“Whoa! Easy!... I'm not an enemy!” The feminine voice yelped as Shintarō's feathers began to bristle with rage.

“Get the hell away from us!” Daiki barked, his eyes trained hard on the cloaked figure whom seemed small and petite.

“I'm one of you, but you guys have to come with me now. Those choppers are gonna be here real quick.” The cloaked female said, holding her hands up in defense as she looked up towards the canopy.

“Who are you?” Shintarō asked, his stance never easing as his wings almost rattled like an angry snake.

The female stood up straight and raised her hands to her hood and pushed it back, revealing a young face with short caramel hair and brownish red eyes. Her skin was pale, but unblemished, and when she fully removed her cloak, the pristine set of caramel colored wings with feathers tipped in ebony made them gasp.

“Y-You're an Angelika?” Taiga gulped, having come to stand next to Shintarō to help defend if need be.

The girl nodded, “As are you... I'm Eagle Clan. Are you... Are you them?” She asked, holding her cloak to her body as if it were a stuffed animal.

“Them? Are we who?” Ryōta asked, his brows furrowed as he knelt down next to Atsushi to look over Tetsuya.

“My father should know, but you have to come with me now... Please.” The girl seemed to plead with them as she turned to walk away.

“What's your name?” Seijūrō asked, glancing at the others whom all seemed to be wondering the same thing.

“My name is Riko Aida. Now come on! The choppers are coming!” She urged as she started to run.

With just a curt nod from Seijūrō, Atsushi hoisted Tetsuya back into his arms and started to follow, running along the ground behind the girl known as Riko. They jumped over tree roots and skirted around trees with ease, keeping their wings in close so their feathers didn't snag on any branches. The trees were thick and the canopy doubly so, but with the far off distance of chopper blades whirling and coming closer, it spurred them on.

None of them dared to look back as they followed Riko and when the trees began to thin, the edge of a cliff came into view.

“Now where?” Daiki yelped, but never stopped his near sprint towards the cliff.

“Down!” Was all Riko said before she swan dove over the side.

Without the slightest bit of hesitation, the boys all dove after her, spreading their wings and taking in the sight below. A wide spread lake glimmered in the sun with deep sapphire colored water. It was set deep inside a canyon and was fed by a huge waterfall that buffeted almost as loud as the choppers did, and it was thick and white, churning the sapphire water below.

All they could do was watch was Riko's eagle like wings flapped and banked her around towards the base of the waterfall, not even slowing and completely confident as she headed for the water. They wanted to scream out to warn her, but instead, they followed suit and filed up in a tight line to splash through the thundering white falls.

The second they were on the other side, they found selves in a darkened cave where Riko halted and touched down, followed by each boy as they came through the watery doorway and planted their feet in the sand. Their hair was dampened from the water, their skin pimpled from the chill of the cool air and their breath finally had a chance to slow.

“Where are we?” Daiki asked, swallowing hard enough to move his Adam's apple up and down.

“Our hideout... The choppers can't find us in here.” Riko said, motioning for them to follow as she started to walk deeper into the cave.

“They're equipped with IRT-” Shintarō tried to speak, glancing at the others before stepping after her.

“Doesn't matter. They can't penetrate the rock and the falls are too cold to let our heat signatures through. We're safe, now come on. We'll answer all your questions inside.” Riko said, continuing to walk deeper into the cave.

The boys all shared moments of worried glances before deciding to follow, stepping through small dripping puddles of cold water and stepping over slightly bigger rocks. It was so dark in the cave, but following Riko, the darkness began to give way to the far off glow of firelight.

After trudging deeper into the cave, they reached a high ledge that looked out into the main cavern of the cave, with long, pointed stalactites hanging down from the ceiling like fingers. The stalagmites reached up for them from the floor like a lover's desperate hands, but where they were impressive enough in their own right, what was threaded between and around them was more so.

The entire cavern was outfitted as a subterranean camp, with campfires burning all around to provide not only light, but warmth against the chill of the cavern air. Tents were staked to the ground to give shelter and the gentle hums of people talking fluttered up from below as they walked about and every single one of them had wings.

“An Angelika camp?” Ryōta exhaled, his eyes wide with shock and his breath stuttering in and out.

“More like our resistance... As futile as it is.” Riko said, letting out a sigh before walking to a winding metal staircase that had been bolted to the ridge face.

“You mean you're fighting against the Humans?” Daiki asked, following her down the stairs and still looking out at the encampment.

“Sort of. We're fighting to free as many as possible for right now.” Riko said, keeping a hand on the steep railing as she took step after step.

“A search and rescue operation.” Seijūrō said simply.

Riko nodded, “Pretty much. My father's this way. We'll get your friend looked at.”

As Riko touched down onto the sand at the bottom of the ridge, the boys followed, finding themselves under the curious gazes of more Angelika than they ever thought would happen. Just the previous day, they had thought they were the last of a hated race, the last surviving members of the Angelika that had to remain hidden in plain sight. Just yesterday, their world was just them, but now, as they followed this girl whom looked no older than them, they realized that there was so much they didn't know.

“Riko! Ops has eight choppers going overhead! Where the hell-” Came a booming voice from a man whom was noticeably older.

He was a man of average height, with the same colored hair and eyes as Riko, and his wings just a larger version of hers with the same brown and ebony trim. He wore simple black BDU pants and a tank top with the back cut low, much like their own with heavy black boots and it didn't take the boys long to know that he was Riko's father. They could just tell by looking at him.

“What in all the clouds in the sky-” The man exhaled, his eyes wide as he gulped and stared.

“Dad... I found them running from those choppers.” Riko said, glancing over her shoulder at the boys.

“So that's why The Farm's up in arms.” The man said, his brows stern as he planted his hands on his hips.

“The Farm? What's The Farm?” Daiki asked, his brows still furrowed as he looked around at all the other Angelika watching them with curiosity.

“The base you ran from.” Riko said simply, crossing her arms.

“The base? We didn't run from the base, we ran from the choppers. What the hell is The Farm?” Taiga asked, sharing a glance with Daiki before looking back to the still unnamed man.

“Were you not bred at The Farm?” The man asked, watching them closely.

All the boys shook their heads.

“No. We're from the city. That's where we've been living for the last six years.” Seijūrō said, rolling his shoulders back a bit to stand up straighter.

“What're you names?” The man asked.

“You first.” Daiki said a bit harshly, crossing his arms.

The man's throat growled as he crossed his arms and crinkled his nose, “Fine... Kagetora Aida.”

“Daiki Aomine.”

Kagetora's breath caught in his throat.

“Taiga Kagami.”

“Ryōta Kise.”

“Shintarō Midorima.”

“Atsushi Murasakibara and this is Kuro-Chin.” Atsushi said with a gentle shifting of Tetsuya in his arms.

“Who?” Kagetora crinkled his brows even more.

“He means to say that that's Tetsuya Kuroko.” Seijūrō said, matching the older man's furrowed brows.

“And who're you?” Kagetora asked bluntly.

“Seijūrō Akashi.” He crossed his arms.

Kagetora pursed his lips together hard as he regarded the boys, his eyes narrow and seemingly fuming with rage. The boys could see his arms bulging with tension and his knuckles go white with how tightly his was clenching his biceps and with each second that ticked by in silence, they started to feel more and more uneasy.

Until Riko spoke up.

“Dad?... Are those the names?” Riko asked, her voice carrying as more and more Angelika surrounded them to watch what would unfold.

“What? What names?” Daiki asked, finding that they had all been encircled by the others.

Kagetora huffed a slow, heated breath through his nose, “You punks have some nerve, you know that?”

“What? Do you know us?” Taiga asked, unable to look away from the man.

“Know you?” he scoffed, “I know those names, but not you. How dare you come into this place and say those names! Do you have any idea what those names mean to us? To the last remaining free Angelika on this fucking planet?” Kagetora's voice boomed, filling the entire cavern.

“What names! Who are we!” Ryōta snapped, his eyes glistening with too much moisture.

“Akashi? Midorima? Kise? Aomine? Kagami? Murasakibara? Kuroko? None of those ring a bell?” Kagetora fumed, thrusting an angered finger towards the boys.

“Why would they? We're only first years in high school! That's all we are! Nothing more! Nothing less!” Daiki near screamed, balling his fists so tightly that his fingernails began to dig into his skin.

“Wrong! Those names were thought lost at the end of the Angel War and to have you little punks come marching in here and just rattling them off like they mean nothing is worse them spitting on their graves!” Kagetora raged on under the many eyes of the others surrounding them.

“Fuck you, old man!” Daiki hissed.

“Enough!” Seijūrō boomed, his voice echoing off the cavern walls over and over.

Everyone hushed and just watched in the tense silence, sucking in chilled breaths that cooled their lungs. They hadn't realized it in their plight to get away, but they were tired from their desperate flight and their wings felt heavier than normal. Their heads were reeling from everything that was going on and it seemed like they had been caught in a whirlwind that just spun them around until everything was blurry. Nothing made sense and they were now desperate to know why.

 _My god, he's already using it._ Kagetora lightly gulped as he watched the shorter, red haired boy.

“Mr. Aida... You must understand, that before today, we thought we were the last. Before today, all we knew was that the Angelika were whipped out sixteen years ago and before today, we were being fed the same lie as everyone else. All we can think about are the questions we're in desperate need to find answers for and it would appear, that we'll find those answers with you. So please, Mr. Aida... Answer our questions.” Seijūrō said, his eyes soft as he finally took a breath to fill his lungs.

Hearing the boy, Kagetora's shoulders relaxed and his grip loosened as his eyes focused passed him to the unconscious boy in Atsushi's arms. He hadn't moved, but he was softly breathing and with the ugly wound in his right wing, he needed attention sooner, rather than later.

“How long ago was your friend hit?” Kagetora asked, his voice far more level than it had been.

“No more than twenty minutes ago... From a dart.” Shintarō said, standing at his full height next to Atsushi.

“I'll answer your questions in a couple hours after he wakes up,” Kagetora said before shift his gaze to a random Angelika, “Take them to the infirmary tent and get him fixed up. Riko, come with me.” He ordered.

The onlooking Angelika began to break as the one whom Kagetora pointed to waved them to come along. He was tall, massively tall with kind eyes, short brown hair and rather thick eyebrows. His dark brown wings were huge, nearly matching in size to Atsushi's and his primary feathers even dragged on the ground as he walked.

He lead them to a large tent where several smaller women awaited and held the large tent flaps open. The boys filed inside where Atsushi was told to set Tetsuya onto an empty bed. He was immediately attended to by a pair of petite young women, caring for the bleeding wound in his wing that had thankfully begun to slow on its own and checked his vitals. The boys were ushered outside to wait by another very tall Angelika with sandy blonde hair and wings, where they were lead to a warm campfire and offered tea.

That's where they waited, not talking, never looking up from the crackling fire as it danced and flicked at the chilled air. They quietly sipped their tea and took the time to just sit and try not to think, but that was proving easier said than done. The camp seemed to go about its business without them and all they could do was watch and wait.

It almost seemed like days had gone by, but eventually, one of the nurses whom had cared for Tetsuya came out and let them know they could go inside where they saw that Tetsuya was awake, albeit lazily. His good wing rested tucked behind his back, but his right was supported on a stand and was wrapped with bandaging around a bare patch from where the irreparable feathers had been removed.

“Hey, Tetsu... How you feeling?” Daiki asked quietly as he stepped up next to the bed and knelt down.

Tetsuya, his eyes halfway shut, lazily smiled, “I'm ok. Kinda groggy though and I feel heavy.” He said in a hoarse voice.

“Probably from the drug in the dart. Does it hurt?” Shintarō asked, standing behind Daiki.

Tetsuya slowly shook his head, “Not anymore. The nurses say I'll be ok. I just need to heal.” He exhaled.

“Nothing's broken?” Ryōta asked in just above a whisper, standing on the other side of the bed as he grasped Tetsuya's hand.

“No... I'll fly again.” Tetsuya said, slowly blinking his tired eyes.

The boys all offered small smiles of relief that he was going to be alright. It lifted a huge weight from their shoulders and even though they were still confused, still in the dark as to what, exactly, was going on, it was nice to have one less thing to worry about.

“I guess it's time we finally get our answers, don't you think, Akashi?” Taiga asked softly as he crossed his arms.

“I agree. We've waited long enough. Now that Tetsuya's awake, it's time to find out why our names invoked his anger.” Seijūrō said, sending one of the nurses a slow nod that she returned before stepping out of the tent.

“Was it anger, or was it something else?” Atsushi asked dully, rubbing the meat of his shoulders with both hands to stave off a dull ache that was starting to set in.

“What else could it have been?” Ryōta asked.

Atsushi shrugged, “Think about it... After we said our names, he thought we were just using them for fun and that's why he got angry.”

“You might have a point, Murasakibara. I think those names mean hope to them.” Shintarō said, pushing up his glasses.

Daiki's brows furrowed, “Hope? What kinda hope could we possibly bring?”

None of the boys had an answer, so instead of trying, they just regarded each other until the nurse returned, closely followed by Riko, her father, Kagetora, and the very tall boy whom had lead them to the infirmary tent in the first place.

“I heard the news. Glad to hear you'll be ok.” Kagetora said, releasing a long sigh as he stepped further into the tent with Riko and the tall boy next to him.

“Thanks.” Tetsuya said, lightly clearing his throat as the other nurse helped him to sit up.

“So will you answer our questions now?” Seijūrō asked, loosely crossing his arms as he locked gazes with the older man.

“First, I'll start off by saying this; Before the war, the Angelika were a structured people. There were seven hierarchy clans supported by servant clans and one clan oversaw it all.” Kagetora began.

“And what clan are you?” Taiga asked as he watched and studied the tall boy whom was standing behind and towering over Riko.

“Riko and I are both servant. We're Eagle Clan serving under the Emperor Clan.” Kagetora said simply.

“What about him?” Daiki asked, pointing at the tall boy whom seemed to be lightly smiling at them.

“Him?... This is Teppei Kiyoshi of the Titan Clan... Same as you, Atsushi Murasakibara.” Kagetora said as a crooked smirk grew across his face.

Atsushi's eyes widened, “D-Does that mean I'm one of the seven overseeing clans?” He asked, studying the one known as Teppei.

Kagetora nodded, “Oh yea... The seven of you are more than just regular members of the seven foundation clans. You're far more important.” His voice was low as he spoke.

“We don't understand... What are we? Why do our names mean so much to you?” Ryōta asked, still grasping Tetsuya's hand in both of his.

Kagetora's throat rumbled with a low laugh, “Simply put... You boys are the Seven Sons of the Sevens Kings.”

* * *

 

_**Teppei: Yay! I'm finally in the story!** _

_**Taiga: It's only 3 episodes in! You didn't have to wait long!** _

_**Teppei: But I like having screen time. I had to wait till the second season in the last show. That sucked.** _

_**Riko: I kept you in the loop.** _

_**Teppei: Well, yeah, but I still got impatient.** _

_**Riko: (Rolls eyes and crosses arms)** _

_**Kagetora: Don't get any funny ideas, Kid, or I'll run you over with a bus. (Glares at Teppei)** _

_**Teppei: (Eyes go wide) I won't! I promise! (Holds hands up in defense)** _

_**Lycanwolff: (Eyes wide) Um... Right.** _

_**Shintarō: (Eyeballs Lycanwolff) I don't like that look.** _

_**Lycanwolff: Um... Just remember that I'm paying you all.** _

_**Shintarō: (Vein in forehead throbs) What did you do?** _

_**Lycanwolff: Nothing!... Just um... Read the scripts... All of them.** _

_**Shintarō: (Flips through future scripts) You didn't!** _

_**Lycanwolff: I'm paying you!** _

 


	4. Episode 4

**Episode 4**

 

The Seven Sons of the Seven Kings. The boys could only stand and stare in shock, their minds having a hard time grasping the words, but under the three vastly different gazes, their curiosity spurred them on.

“Seven Sons of the Seven Kings? Are we royalty?” Shintarō asked, mildly gulping to force himself to close his mouth.

“In a sense, yes you are. However, it's not that simple an explanation.” Kagetora said, simply standing and watching their reactions with an amused expression on his face.

“Please, Mr. Aida... We have all the time to hear it.” Seijūrō said, his eyes unblinking as he concentrated on just trying to breathe.

 _Stop using it, kid._ Kagetora sighed, “When the Angel War ended and what was left of us were taken as livestock, all of us that remained thought the bloodlines were severed. The seven kings were killed in various battles, but we all just assumed that they were lost in the war. What we didn't know, was that the seven kings had hid their wives to ensure that their children would be born.” Kagetora explained, taking a break only to take in a breath.

“And that's us.” Ryōta said, still knelt beside Tetsuya and grasping his hand.

Kagetora nodded, “Kuroko, Kagami, Kise, Aomine, Midorima, Murasakibara and Akashi are all the family names of the seven kings and it's been that way for eons. To put it in Human terms; You're princes.”

The boys all glanced at each other and lightly gulped.

“No one else knows we're alive?” Taiga asked, rubbing his upper arm.

“No... Until I found you in the woods, all the remaining Angelika thought the bloodlines had been lost. It's part of why we haven't actually fought.” Riko said, earning her father's brief glance before he looked back at the boys.

“Why would us not being around stop you from fighting?” Daiki asked, his brows drawing down a bit.

“Because there's so much more to it than that, but we'll get there in time.” Kagetora said before turning around and heading out of the tent.

“Hey! We're not done asking questions yet!” Daiki snapped with a growl.

“Then come on. You're hungry aren't you?” Kagetora's voice said from outside the tent.

The boys just glanced at each other before helping Tetsuya up and following Riko and Teppei from the tent. The camp seemed to be going about its business without a care as they walked, and Seijūrō, wanting to keep their conversation going, jogged up to walk next to Kagetora as they trudged through the encampment.

“Please, Mr. Aida. We have to know.” Seijūrō said, looking up into Kagetora's eyes that briefly widened.

 _Goddamn this kid!_ His throat rumbled as he watched Seijūrō's left eye, as it seemed to be flicking its color.

“Why would our bloodlines being gone prevent you from fighting?” Seijūrō asked with his desire to know reflecting in his eyes.

Kagetora groaned again and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Where do I even start... Ok, uh... Each clan specializes in something, but most of us here are serving clans. That's where the problem lies.”

“You can't fight unless you have a leader?” Daiki asked with an arced brow.

“No! Stupid kid... We're plenty capable of doing whatever it takes without someone from one of the foundation clans-” Kagetora snapped as he glared back at Daiki.

“What my father's trying to say, is that we aren't really serving clans, but rather, supporting clans. Our abilities are meant to support those from the foundation clans.” Riko chimed in, walking with the boys with Teppei close at her side.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Shintarō asked.

“Take our clan for example; The Eagle Clan. We're very capable fighters and shine brightest when we support the Emperor Clan, but without any around, we aren't really anymore useful than a rent-a-cop.” Kagetora said as he glanced at Seijūrō.

“But one of us is apart of the Emperor Clan, I'm gathering.” Shintarō said, earning Kagetora's brief glance before he turned towards a larger tent towards the far back corner of the encampment.

“Yes... Seijūrō Akashi here is. Essentially, he's the ruler of us all. The Emperor Clan oversaw everything. They were the government as it were.” Kagetora said, pointing his thumb at that very boy still walking next to him.

“Does each foundation clan have a supporting clan?” Ryōta asked as Kagetora opened the large flap of the tent and motioned for them to step inside.

The tent turned out to be Kagetora's private quarters, with his bed sectioned off towards the back and a large table in the middle that was big enough to sit them all.

“Sit... For the most part, yes, and each one is designed to fully support the clan they serve under.” Kagetora said bluntly, being the last to step inside and headed for the chair at the head of the table.

The boys did as told and found spots around the table, finding that the chairs had low backs so they didn't intrude on their wings. They were surprisingly comfortable and after helping Tetsuya to sit, the rest sat and readied to resume with their questions.

“Titans even have a supporting clan?” Atsushi asked, sitting across from Teppei so not to crowd each other with their large wings.

“Jesus.. Yes! What did I just say?” Kagetora growled as he leaned an elbow on the table and glared.

“Our supporting clan is the Raven Clan. They help to keep us focused during combat situations. They're great backup.” Teppei said with a light blush across his cheeks and an even bigger smile across his face.

“Do you have any here?” Atsushi asked, glancing at the opening of the tent as several Angelika entered carrying mugs of something to drink.

“Oh yeah... You can typically tell which are Raven-wings by their black wings and they are very, very capable fighters. Even more so than an Eagle Clan. A lot of the time, a Titan and a Raven will spar because the Ravens can keep up with us. They just don't have our defensive and offensive capabilities.” Teppei said, silently thanking the rather young looking boy whom set down a mug in front of him.

“What about me? How come I don't see any others with golden wings?” Ryōta asked, lightly smiling before taking a sip of his drink, finding it to be cold water.

Kagetora sighed as he glanced at his daughter, “The Golden Clan, unfortunately was devastated in the war. Your clan specializes in tactics like espionage and field agent work. The Humans feared the Golden Clan so much that if they even suspected that someone was a member, they were shot on the spot. The Humans killed hundreds of their own because they feared the Golden Clan to that degree.”

Ryōta's shoulders dropped as his eyes turned sad, “A-Am I... Am I the last?” He asked in just above a whisper.

“No, but out of all the clans, the Golden Clan is the most endangered right now. Any captive Angelika that are Golden Clan are kept under lock and key because they have the greatest potential for escape.” Kagetora said lowly, picking at his fingernails.

“Oh-” Ryōta's voice trailed off.

Shintarō softly sighed as he rested a hand on Ryōta's shoulder, “I don't see any with my wings either.”

“First off, just because their wings aren't colored like yours, doesn't mean they aren't apart of your clan. You lot are the only ones with colored wings like that. Secondly, that boy who dropped off your drinks?... He's a Razor-wing just like you.” Kagetora said, opting to stare at the mug instead of the boys.

“Oh.” Shintarō breathed out quietly.

“Razors are nasty in and of themselves. There's no way to disarm them short of cutting off their wings, so Humans tend to result to drastic measures to contain them, but since they're specialized long distance fighters, none get close enough to get captured on a regular basis.” Riko said, briefly glancing at Teppei before looking back at Shintarō.

“I see.” Shintarō said, taking his hand back from Ryōta's shoulder.

“Especially if they have a Hawk-wing with them. The accuracy of a Razor-wing paired with a Hawk-wing means they can drop targets from miles off. They're the least captured out of all of us.” Teppei added.

The Angelika that had brought them drinks returned with plates of simple meals, being fruits, breads, and cheeses. It was simple, but at least it was something to eat as the trio set a plate down in front of each boy with shallow bow of their heads in silent greeting.

“I always knew you were a pain in the ass.” Daiki chuckled before taking a huge bite of apple into his mouth.

“No, you're the pain in the ass. The Wind Clan never could get it through their thick skulls that it's irritating to have the sound barrier shattered right next to your ear.” Kagetora grumbled as he tore off a piece of bread.

“Huh?” Daiki sat up stick straight.

“You heard me. The Wind Clan are the speed demons who specialize in agility and high speed attacks. They fly the fastest out of all the clans.” Kagetora groaned as he ate.

“No no no... Not that. Sound barrier?” Daiki asked, arcing a brow.

“Yeah... You fuckers break the barrier all the damn time. It's irritating.” Kagetora snarled as he pointed his chuck of cheese at Daiki before popping it into his mouth.

“I can break the sound barrier?” Daiki started to smile wide.

“Jesus Christ! Yes! The Aomine line found way too much enjoyment in doing it too and they especially loved doing it at night.” Kagetora glared hard.

Daiki started to chuckle as the vein in Kagetora's forehead throbbed with a pulse. Even as Riko and Teppei tried hiding their low chuckles to avoid getting glared at, but when Kagetora turned his fuming glare towards them, they instantly silenced themselves.

“Pardon my intrusion, but you said earlier that, for the most part, the foundation clans all have supporting clans. What do you mean when you say 'for the most part'?” Tetsuya finally spoke up, sitting up straighter as best he could from the bandage wrapping around his injured wing.

Kagetore took a drink from his mug to buy him time to finish chewing and swallowed, “It's the last two clans; Shadow and Whisper. They support each other.”

Tetsuya glanced at Taiga whom seemed to match his expression before looking back at Kagetora.

“The Shadow Clan are masters at camouflage, while the Whisper Clan are high altitude recon specialists who are capable of reaching insane heights while on wing. You put them together and you all of a sudden have high altitude stealth recon.” Teppei grinned as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Kagetora rolled his eyes and shook his head, “Shut up, you idiot.”

“Stop telling Teppei to shut up, Dad!” Riko boomed, startling them all as Kagetora seemed to cower into his own shoulders.

“Sorry.” Kagetore mumbled to himself.

The boys just blinked.

“Anyways... The Shadow and Whisper clans support each other, but each clan provides its own ability to make devastating combinations. Take a Shadow-wing and a Whisper-wing for example; A great pair to send up high, but add in a Razor-wing and a Hawk-wing and all of a sudden, you have a high altitude stealth attack force that nobody can find.” Riko explained, pointing at each boy from the clans she was mentioning.

“Is everyone capable of reaching high altitudes?” Taiga asked, never slowing with his eating as his stomach growled for more.

“No. Whispers are it.” Teppei said simply.

“Then how can the rest get up there?” Taiga asked, furrowing his brows lightly with confusion.

“Typically, the Shadow, Razor and Hawk will have to put on the right equipment and the Whispers takes them up. They don't have the inherit ability to maintain flight with such low air pressure.” Kagetora said, still eating.

The boys just nodded as they turned their attention to eat, as in their rush to flee the base and the choppers, they hadn't realized just how hungry their were. Their stomachs growled like angry tigers and the more food they stuffed into their mouths, the hungrier they got.

Luckily for them, their three hosts saw it and had more brought for them, which was quickly consumed with only the minimum amount of chewing required so not to have their bites catch in their throats. It provided each with a small amount of time to organize more questions, as they hadn't even begun to scratch the surface of all they wanted to know.

After nearly three portions had been consumed a piece, the boys finally felt satisfied, washing the last of their bites down with their umpteenth mug of water before sighing their relief and looking up.

“Feeling better? That was a hell of a run you boys did.” Kagetora said, sitting up straight and crossing his arms.

“Yes... Thank you. For a time there, we weren't sure if we would make it.” Seijūrō said, turning his eyes down at his empty plate.

“You boys fly well. I have some here who've yet to take to wing.” Kagetora said, watching them all.

“Really?” Tetsuya asked, gently rubbing his injured wing.

“We only rescued them a few months ago from The Farm, and a lot of them are still recovering. They'll take to wing in time.” Riko said, turning her head to smile up at Teppei as he rested a hand down on her shoulder.

“Why do you keep calling it The Farm?” Daiki asked with a shallow swallow.

“That's what it is. The Angelika are slaves and we're used as disposable research subjects.” Kagetora said a bit lowly as he sucked in a deep breath.

The boys' brows furrowed.

“W-What? B-But we're not really different than the Humans, save for a few differences.” Ryōta said, resting a hand on his wing.

“That's why. They can test whatever they want and have it qualify as Human trials without the worry of killing off a Human. Even after sixteen years, they still hate us.” Riko said with the softest of cracks in her voice, spurring Teppei to wrap his long arm around her.

“There's more, isn't there.” Shintarō said.

Kagetora nodded, “Yeah... The Angelika are regulated and treated like cattle in every way. We're less than Human to them and they make sure we know it.”

“I don't think I wanna know how.” Daiki said, opting to stare at the table instead.

“If you value sleeping at night, then don't bother asking.” Kagetora said bluntly.

“Dad-” Riko glared.

Kagetora didn't say anything.

“Perhaps a conversation left for later than. We have enough to process right now with everything else we've heard.” Seijūrō said lowly.

Daiki scoffed as he rubbed the back of his head, “Who'd a thunk we'd wake up this morning and find out we're long lost princes.”

“In a sense, that's exactly what you are. You're the fresh air we've needed to try and wrest our freedom.” Kagetora said, finally looking up to scan the table.

“How many of us are there?” Seijūrō asked, locking gazes with the Commander.

“All together, there's about 1500 Angelika, or so. If we can free them all, there's a real chance we'll survive as a race.” Kagetora said, sucking in a long breath that filled his chest.

All the boys' breaths caught in their throats as they simply stared at the man and father, finding that despite all the questions they still wanted to ask, they were speechless. Their words were caught against their Adam's apples as if someone was pressing them there, sitting on them and preventing them from speaking. There were 1500 Angelika out there and it was almost too much to comprehend.

“T-There's that many?” Ryōta choked out, his eyes glistening in the low light of the tent.

Kagetora, Riko and Teppei all nodded.

“And there's only 75 here.” Teppei said, tightening his hold on Riko as she just looked down at her hands in her lap.

“That... That means there's still over 1400 still prisoner. They're not all trapped at that Farm are they?” Atsushi asked, brushing his longer violet locks from his face.

“No... There's four bases in total. So far, we've only been concentrating our efforts on the one you ran from and out of six rescue runs, five have been successful.” Riko said, finally looking up from her hands to look at the boys.

“Five?” Shintarō's brows drew down.

“It was a run from last year... With me as the only Titan, I take a beating whenever we go and most of the time, it's fine. I just get bruised up a bit, but... but that time I wasn't so lucky.” Teppei said, lightly sighing as Riko leaned into his side, still beneath his large arm.

“What happened?” Daiki asked, eyeballing the pair.

“My knee got blown out by one of the officers. It dropped me to my face right in the middle of the base and it left everyone else open. A small handful of us got captured while everyone else fled carrying me. We didn't rescue anyone that time.” Teppei said, releasing his held breath.

“And you continue to go on runs?” Shintarō asked.

“Yeah... I'm the only Titan, so I have no choice, but honestly, I can't just sit back and let people suffer.” Teppei said, sitting up straight and slipping his arm off Riko's shoulders, letting his hand run down her wing behind her back.

“Without a Titan's defenses, we're sitting ducks. We've been spreading out the runs to give him some time to recover, but that's all we can do.” Kagetora said, actually providing the large boy with a forced smile for less than a second.

“What was the extent of your injury?” Shintarō asked.

Teppei sighed, “Torn ACL. I've been working on rehabilitating it, but without surgery, being back to full capacity is just out of reach.”

“I might be able to help out a bit, but it won't be much. I've been taking care of his wings ever since we were left on our own about six years ago.” Shintarō said, drawing a deep breath as he loosely crossed his arms.

“What's wrong with your wings?” Teppei asked, his thick brows furrowing slightly at the question.

“We bind them and they seize up sometimes.” Atsushi said simply with a lazy shrug.

Riko lightly gasped, “You bind them? Why?” She glanced at Teppei.

“We have to. Day in and day out, we play it off like we're Human and every goddamn morning we put on those fucking harnesses.” Daiki hissed, his fists clenching beneath the table.

“Easy now, Daiki. You won't have to do that here.” Kagetora said, keeping his voice calm and his eyes even.

Daiki held his breath for a moment as he nodded, rustling his wings at the thought of the horrid pop he had suffered just the other morning. Just the thought made the elbow of his wing thump, but as he started breathing again, he loosened his fists and looked up from the table.

“What happens now that we're here?” Seijūrō asked, breaking the tension that had settled in from Daiki's spike in temper.

“I suppose that's up to you. You're the Seven Sons of the Seven Kings we thought lost. If you stayed, it could mean a whole new era for us.” Kagetora said, offering each boy a brief glance around the table.

“Because you have another Titan.” Taiga said, glancing over at Atsushi.

“More than that... We have the Seven Sons, which means we have access to some of the most impressive abilities that could really turn the tide.” Kagetora said, shifting a bit in his chair.

“What do you mean?” Tetsuya asked, glancing at Taiga for a moment before shifting his sky blue eyes back to Kagetora.

“Where every Angelika has abilities that pertain to their clans, it's the bloodlines of the Seven Kings that garnish recognition.” Kagetora said plainly.

“How so?” Daiki asked.

“I'll use your big boy here as an example. As a Titan, Teppei's defensive and offensive capabilities are impressive, but just like every other Titan, there's a limit to how much he can withstand and dish out. A Titan's wings are their weapons. They're impenetrable and are strong enough to slice through objects, but Teppei can't handle getting hit with a missile, or getting caught in a blast. A Murasakibara on the other hand, can.” Kagetora explained, watching the purple haired giant and only blinking when he had to.

Atsushi just sat and listened.

“He can survive getting blown up?” Taiga asked, pointing his pointer finger at that very Titan in disbelief.

“If he uses his wings to deflect it, yes. Without even having to see it, I know he can turn his wings metal to deflect anything and everything, then slice everything up like a chef in a kitchen because I saw his father do it.” Kagetora said with a huffed crooked smirk.

“Huh? I can turn my wings metal?” Atsushi's lips parted.

“Yes... My defenses are good, but yours are infallible. I've heard stories about your father and he was known as the Shield of Aegis.” Teppei said, still smiling just like he had been all day.

“You can't be old enough to've been in the war. You're no older than us.” Daiki growled a bit too much.

“You're right. I was born as part of the first clutch bred at The Farm after it was established seventeen years ago.” Teppei said, crossing his arms which made his biceps near double in their bulk.

“Seventeen? But the war ended sixteen years ago!” Ryōta yelped.

“Again, you're right. The official declaration that the war was over _was_ sixteen years ago, but that was after my parents were already captured. That's when I was bred.” Teppei said calmly as if he was giving a history lesson.

“Born.” Shintarō corrected, pushing up his glasses.

“No, bred. I never knew my parents. I was raised by the midwife who I called my grandmother. There were over a dozen of us that were bred in the first clutch.” Teppei said, his persistent smile faltering just a bit as Riko's hand rested on his large bicep.

“We aren't cattle! Stop saying bred!” Daiki snapped, slamming his hands into the table as he shot to his feet.

“To the Humans, we are! Do you really wanna know exactly how they treated us?” Teppei snapped back, rising to his full height that was even taller than Daiki.

“Teppei... Please don't-” Riko tried, but failed.

“Go right ahead! It can't be any worse than forcing ourselves to live like them!” Daiki fumed, his brows drawn down hard as his upper lip curled.

“Try this on for size! Our women are referred to as Mares, while the males, Studs! Our meals are regulated down to every nutritional microgram to keep us in peak physical condition so they can eventually breed us! The women are kept separated from the men, so guess how they do it! It's not how you think either! The Humans artificially inseminate the women and give the babies to the nursery paddock to raise as a workforce and lab rats! Go ahead and tell me again how we aren't cattle in their eyes!” Teppei's voice boomed as he rocked forward on one foot, thrusting a finger into his own chest as his wings bristled with genuine anger.

Daiki's throat locked up as his eyes widened and somehow, during the large boy's tirade, his own anger had fizzled out. They really were cattle. It wasn't a matter of which one of them had had it worse, because to each of them, they had it worse. Whether it be having to bind their wings, or living in hyper regulated captivity, either way, they weren't free no matter what side of the fence they were on.

“W-Where you a Stud before you escaped?” Ryōta's voice asked, finally breaking the heavy silence.

Teppei sucked in a steadying breath as he stood up straight, “Thankfully, no... I escaped back when I was five. Riko came later.” He set both his hands on her shoulders.

“Luckily, Riko was never a Mare, but I can't say the others here were as lucky.” Kagetora said, his throat rumbling as he glared at Daiki long enough for him to sit back down.

“You were a Stud, weren't you.” Shintarō said lowly.

“They considered me too old by the time we were captured. Riko was born outside of The Farm around the same time that Teppei was born into it. We escaped a few years ago and if it wasn't for that Hyūga guy, we never would have.” Kagetora said, glancing at Riko and Teppei.

“Who?” Taiga asked.

“Now, he's a guard at The Farm, but back then, he was just a kid whose father worked there. He helped us escape one day his father brought him to the labs.” Riko said plainly, raising her hand to cover Teppei's on her shoulder.

“A Human?” Seijūrō asked.

Kagetora nodded, “Believe it, or not, there're some Humans who actually treat us like people. Hyūga's one of them. He's our inside guy who helps us get people out when he can.”

“And he hasn't been caught?” Ryōta's eyes widened with shock.

“He's good, but I'd feel better if we could get him out of there before something happens.” Kagetora said, releasing a long sigh as he crossed his arms.

“Does he work alone?” Seijūrō asked.

“No... He's got a few guys who help him out. Just a small squad who'd rather see us treated as equals instead of livestock.” Kagetora said, rolling his shoulders a bit and readjusting his wings.

Kagetora only tore his eyes away from the boys as Teppei sidestepped to sit back down next to Riko, keeping a hand on her shoulder the whole time. The large boy's eyes that were usually calm and collected, kind and warm, were narrowed and topped with a crinkled brow. He was still angry, internally fuming from his outburst and to Kagetora's keen eyes, he saw the slightest tightening of Teppei's grip on Riko's shoulder. It made the vein in his forehead twitch again.

“Mr. Aida... Pardon me for asking, but are there future operations planned despite Teppei's injury?” Seijūrō asked, easily shattering the silence in the tent.

Kagetora nodded, “Yes... He's tougher than he looks. Even with a bum knee, he's still a formidable warrior.” He released a long, slow sigh.

“What if I help? Will that increase your chances of getting more people out?” Atsushi asked, his shoulders rolled forward in a hunch, making him look like a giant child.

Kagetora scoffed, “If you helped, we could level the base. Nothing the humans could do would stop us.”

“And if we all helped?” Shintarō asked, sucking in a long breath until he couldn't anymore, simply to push back the nervous roll in his stomach.

“If you all helped... We could free every last Angelika and finally be done with this.” Kagetora said lowly, looking down at the table with unseeing eyes.

The tent fell silent, more silent than the woods during winter where a heavy blanket of snow covered everything. It was so quiet that their ears could hear each other swallow, could hear each other breathing in slow, collected lungfuls of air. It was a tense silence that pressed on their shoulders and the boys just wanted it gone, but looking at the three at the head of the table, they couldn't find the words to break it.

Kagetora, Riko and Teppei looked pensive, lost in their own heads as they stared down at their laps. They had still been fighting the war in the background all this time, putting their lives and well-being on the line simply to help as many people as they could. They were the resistance that had chosen to go up against something that most thought couldn't be moved and it was showing on their faces. They all knew there were countless sleepless night, and when they could find sleep, it was filled with nightmares. Despite not being in a cage anymore, it was still a long walk to true freedom.

“We'll help you. I'm not sure what we can do, but we'll help you.” Taiga suddenly said, taking a moment to look at each of his brothers.

“You don't have to help if you don't want to. I promise you'll see things that belong only in nightmares if you do.” Teppei said, finally looking up from his lap.

“It doesn't matter. It may not look it, but I know we can't just sit back and let others suffer... Not when they need our help.” Tetsuya added, earning Taiga's gaze.

“It's not our fight, Tetsu.” Daiki said, his deep voice so low that it was almost lost.

“Sure it is, Aominecchi. These are our people... How is this not our fight?” Ryōta asked, his brows furrowing a bit as he studied the tension in Daiki's shoulders.

“We don't owe them anything, so why help in something that never involved us?” Daiki shot back, staring down the blonde with narrowed eyes.

“It's like Teppei said... You don't have to. If you wanna go about living your lives like a caged bird, then go right ahead. I certainly won't stop you.” Kagetora huffed, his expression stone cold and staring at the boy.

Daiki scoffed as he stood up and simply stormed out of the tent without another word spoken, not even slowing when Ryōta called out to him, but was stopped from following when Seijūrō grabbed his arm.

For some reason, he was so angry, so hot inside that all he wanted to do was punch something and he didn't care what. His fists clenched over and over as he walked through the encampment without a direction in mind, aimlessly stepping around others and turning random corners. He didn't know where he was going, he just wanted to be away from everyone, but when he reached an open area, he stopped dead in his tracks.

Somehow, he had ended up at what looked to be an arena, surrounded by lit torches and small rocks to mark its boundaries in the sand. It was right next to a dark lake that reflected the light, dancing thin lines of white against the cave walls as people cleaned themselves, but it wasn't that that had made him stop. The pair sparing in the middle of the arena did.

Both the Angelika had black wings and black hair, but where one had it cut short and spiky, the others hair was chin length. The boy with the short hair was noticeably shorter, but by only a couple inches compared to his sparing partner, whom was incredible with his staff. Both appeared to be vastly capable fighters, but the larger of the two boys was on the offensive.

His staff in hand, the larger boy with large black wings was spinning it effortlessly and finding contact with the smaller boy's staff. He was spinning it so fast that it was hard to see in the torchlight, but his hands whirled it with ease as his wings flapped and helped to spin him in mid-air. His skill with the staff was only compounded by his skill with alternating between flight and being on the ground, spinning around and striking, only for it to be blocked by the smaller boy whom wasn't phased. It was amazing to watch them spar and he could have watched it all day, if they hadn't noticed him.

Stopping their match, the two boys with vastly different gazes set them on him and it caused Daiki to stand up just a bit straighter and lightly gulp. Their shoulders were still rigid from their mock combat, but they didn't seem aggressive, making them hard to read.

“You're Daiki Aomine, right?” The shorter boy asked, briefly glancing at his partner before both started towards him.

Daiki nodded, “Yeah.”

“Where're your friends?” The taller boy asked, drawing close enough for Daiki to pick out the small beauty mark just below his right silver eye.

“Back at the tent I think... I just needed to get away.” Daiki admitted, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he looked off to the side.

“Can't really blame you for that. It's a lot to take in.” The taller boy said, stopping a pace away and stabbing the end of his staff into the sand.

Drawing in a breath, Daiki nodded, “Yeah... Not really sure where to start.”

“I'm Yukio Kasamatsu.” The shorter boy said, his face dead serious as he extended his available hand.

Daiki hesitated a moment, but eventually took it, “I'd say my name, but I guess everyone already knows it.”

Yukio released the shake, “Yeah... All of us have heard the Aomine name before.”

“You're pretty good to fend him off.” Daiki said with a quick point at the taller boy whose name he still didn't know.

“It's harder than it looks. This asshole is one of our best fighters.” Yukio lightly chuckled as he clapped a hand down on the taller boy's shoulder.

Daiki opened his mouth to speak, but the sound of approaching footsteps caused him to turn just enough to see the others walking his way. Kagetora Aida was nowhere to be seen, but walking behind his brothers, was Riko and Teppei.

He looked back at the sparing partners, intent to speak again, but his words were caught in his throat as he took in Yukio Kasamatsu's expression. His eyes were wide and he seemed to be holding his breath as he stared right passed him.

“What's with you?” Daiki asked, his brows furrowing as he stepped aside and looked back at his brothers once more.

“It's the Golden-wing.” The unnamed and taller boy said, his own eyes set on the incredibly tall, purple winged Titan that was walking closer.

“Kise? Why?” Daiki asked.

“Kasamatsu's from the supporting clan. He's a Silver-wing.” The taller boy said, tearing his eyes away to look at Daiki.

“What do they do?” Daiki asked, his hands back in his pockets.

“We're a Golden-wing's handler as it were. Think along the lines of all those spy movies; A Golden-wing is the impeccable field agent, while a Silver-wing is their support. We take care of intel, special equipment and whatever else they need.” Yukio finally spoke up, but kept his eyes glued to the tall blonde with golden wings.

“What about you?” Daiki asked, but he received no answer from the unnamed boy.

The taller boy let go of his staff where it stayed stuck in the sands as he walked forward, his long black wings trailing along behind him with each step. The purple haired giant didn't seem to notice him, only Teppei did, and as the boys walked right passed him, Teppei stopped and followed his gaze to watch the back of the Titan's head.

“Is that him?” The boy asked softly, glancing down at the sand at the long purple feathers that trailed behind the very large boy.

Teppei nodded and crossed his arms, “Yeah... That's him.”

“Are they staying?” The boy asked, tearing his eyes away to look up at Teppei, whom was still watching the group.

“It seems like it.” Teppei said simply.

The boy huffed, folding his arms, “I'm gonna need your help to train him.”

“What?... Can't take a Titan by yourself?” Teppei smirked with a contained laugh in his throat.

“You, absolutely... A Murasakibara?... Might give me a run.” The boy said, sweeping his lip length black bangs so they covered his left eye.

“It's possible... Damn, he's a big kid.” Teppei continued to airily chuckle.

“The Murasakibara line always was. Titans amongst Titans.” The boy said.

“You should go introduce yourself, Tatsuya. You're the first Raven-wing he'll meet.” Teppei said after a brief moment.

“I will... Just kinda taking it all in right now.” Tatsuya said, drawing in a deep breath.

“Taking what in?” Teppei asked.

The boy released his deep breath and started to lightly smile, still watching the boys and especially the tallest of them. Never in a millions years did he think he would lay his silver eyes on the Seven Sons of the Seven Kings. Never did he think that their luck would change so drastically in a single day. With that rainbow of color added to their ranks, it seemed like the storm was finally breaking and for Tatsuya Himuro, he was like a moth to a flame.

“I'm just taking it all in that we're looking at the Generation of Miracles.”

* * *

 

_**Lycanwolff: Tatsuya! I didn't put that in the script!... I ain't even mad because that was awesome!** _

_**Tatsuya: Thank you, Mrs. Lycanwolff. I thought it was fitting.** _

_**Ryōta: That was truly a well placed line. Good thinking, Himurocchi!** _

_**Atsushi: Hi, Muro-Chin. How you like being on set?** _

_**Tatsuya: It's really nice. I'm so glad I got hired.** _

_**Taiga: Trust me... We're all glad. My rent is expensive.** _

_**Tetsuya: Your dad pays it.** _

_**Taiga: Still expensive!** _

_**Daiki: So are your eating habits.** _

_**Taiga: Oi!** _

 


	5. Episode 5

**Episode 5**

 

The military style beds hadn't been comfortable, but with their final decision to stay official, it was something they were going to have to get used to.

They had finally told Kagetora their official answer once supper had rolled around, and they were given the promise that more permanent arrangements would be made for them. They weren't going to be anything private, not by a long shot, but several more tents were being erected in whatever open space in the sands that could be used.

The night, or what the clock had told them was night, as it was always dark in the cave, was quiet and uneventful, spent trying to settle in and exploring more of the cave, or talking with some of the others to sate their desires to know as much as they possibly could. They heard stories about The Farm, and just hearing the words from those whom were there, all the boys wanted, was to see it burn.

It was that very desire that spurred Atsushi Murasakibara to learn to fight from the one known as Tatsuya Himuro.

The sand beneath Atsushi's bare feet was soft and cushioning, standing in the middle if the training arena with not only Tatsuya Himuro facing him, but Teppei Kiyoshi as well. Both were stood tall with their shoulders back, but where Tatsuya wore plain shorts and a tank top, Teppei only had on shorts since apparently, he was to be Tatsuya's sparring partner.

“Well, I suppose we should start off with showing him what a Titan is capable of.” Teppei said, resting his large hands on his hips that were covered with knee length basketball shorts.

“Do you not know?” Tatsuya asked, his brows furrowed as he looked at Atsushi.

Atsushi just shook his head, “Not first hand. I've only heard about it from Kage-Chin.” He said with a half shrug as he rubbed the side of his neck.

Tatsuya and Teppei glanced at each other.

“Alright... Then I guess we'll start with opening the taps. Stance up, Kiyoshi.” Tatsuya said as he pulled his staff from the sands.

However, when the staff was pulled up, Atsushi's eyes widened to discover that it wasn't a staff, but a spear, tipped with a large metal feather of all things that came to a terrifying point. He gripped it in both hands and set his eyes right on Teppei, but where Atsushi was expecting the large boy to take on a defensive posture, he simply stood there with every muscle in his shirtless torso flexing and rippling his skin.

“What're you gonna do? Skewer me?” Teppei started to smiled with it reaching his eyes.

“Gonna try.” Tatsuya grinned.

All Teppei did was hold Himuro's gaze as the smaller boy burst forward in a fast spin, whirling the spear over his head as he did so before sweeping the weapon in a wide arc like he was swinging a bat. The silver tip sliced through the air with a howl, but with a tremendously loud snap, the wooden shaft of the spear snapped when its point smashed into Teppei's wing.

Wooden splinters and the two larger pieces rained down to the sands as Teppei shook out his wing, its long feathers bristling and shedding a few more pieces of wood to the sand. Atsushi held his breath as he studied the wing and there wasn't a thing wrong with it. Not even a feather was ruffled, or damaged from the powerful hit.

“H-How'd you do that?” Atsushi asked, walking over to bend down and pick up a piece of shattered spear.

“A dinky spear isn't enough to scratch my wings. That's why Titans are some of the best front line warriors. Our defenses are incredible and with our wing durability, our offense is just as good.” Teppei said as Himuro plucked another spear from the rack of them they had set up.

Atsushi dropped the splintered wood to watch as Himuro readied himself, gripping the new spear tightly in both hands and giving it a spin over his head. It was incredible to watch the smaller boy handle the weapon and as he spun around on his toes, bringing the spear around for a full circle swing, Teppei acted.

The large boy dropped his weight and crouched, spinning around with his wings spread out to slice one through the whirl of the spear. The wooden shaft didn't explode, or shatter like it had the first time, but rather, this one embedded its severed end at Atsushi's feet as if it were an arrow.

Finally releasing his held breath, Atsushi leaned over and pulled the spear from the sand, examining the end where it had literally been cut. It wasn't broken, it was sliced and so smoothly that even a buzzsaw couldn't do it cleaner.

“Wow-” Atsushi breathed out, finally looking away from the spear to see that Teppei was smirking with his thick arms crossed.

“That's just the tip of the ice burg. A spear is nothing more than an irritant to a Titan; A bee buzzing too close to your ear... That's it.” Teppei said, drawing in a deep breath that barreled his broad chest.

“I can do that too?” Atsushi asked as he tossed the severed spear to the side.

“On such a bigger scale.” Tatsuya said, plucking his third spear from the rack.

Atsushi just watched the smaller boy, but with lightning fast reflexes, he pulled a handgun from behind his back and aimed it right at him. It was in that same instance that he popped off three rounds, the barks resonating through the cave, but his ears never heard it. He was frozen like a statue, uncertain of what to do, but his instincts took control and forced him to cower, his hands in front of his face and his eyes closed. He was scared he was about to be shot, but with a metallic zing, that's exactly what didn't happen.

When Atsushi opened his eyes after a minute, holding his breath, all he saw was a huge expanse of shining silver feathers, sliding over each other to make the sound of a sword leaving its sheath. His violet eyes were wide as he slowly stood up straight and reach out, resting his hand on the metal feathers and they were warm, just like they always were. His wings were entirely metal, crossed in front of him and as he separated them like a curtain to see Teppei and Himuro, they were just standing there with satisfied smirks.

“Instinct is always the best teacher.” Tatsuya said, lowering his handgun and tucking it into the holster resting against the small of his back.

Atsushi could only stare at his metal wings, softly rustling the feathers and flexing them, but where he was expecting them to be hard to move, they weren't. They felt just like his own wings, behaved the same way and with every movement, the stiff metal feathers slid against each other so smoothly that they hissed.

“H-How'd I do that?” Atsushi asked, finally forcing himself to breath and look away from his twenty feet of metal weapon.

“Only the Murasakibara bloodline can do that. It makes you impervious to just about everything shy of a nuke.” Teppei said, still standing with his arms crossed.

“Can I still fly?” Atsushi asked with the tiniest pang of uncertainty in his stomach at the answer.

“Try it.” Tatsuya said.

Atsushi gulped before sucking in a deep breath, spreading his wings wide and admiring how the brushed metal still mimicked the texture of his real feathers. They were beautiful and when he gave them a strong downbeat, his feet lifted from the sand just like they always had.

At the feel of his wings, despite the metal and the hissing grind they made when he flapped, Atsushi began to smile wide from the exhilaration of it. He had just been shot at and with just his wings, he had deflected the bullets without trouble, or harm. He was so transfixed by watching the metal feathers act like normal that it didn't even register with him that Teppei had taken to wing himself and was hovering in front of him with arms crossed and that ever present smirk on his face.

“Starting to get the idea?” Teppei asked, finally lowering his arms as he flapped to the side to clear Atsushi's line of sight to Himuro still on the ground.

Atsushi nodded as he looked down at the Raven-wing, “Lets do more.”

“Lets teach you the basics first now that we've brought out your real potential. Being able to deflect bullets doesn't do you much good if you can't react fast enough.” Teppei said as he started to lower back towards the ground.

“But I did.” Atsushi said, his wings slowing their beats to drift back towards the sand.

“This time, but you need to be able to change direction on the fly. The humans'll shoot at you from every direction they can and you need to be able to predict and react fast enough to use that infallible defense we're known for.” Teppei said, his bare toes submerging into the sand as all his weight came down on his feet.

Atsushi's bare feet touched down shortly after where his metal wings relaxed, but when he looked at the brushed metal feathers, their silver color began to bleed back towards the feathers' base like it was being washed away. His wings were returning to purple.

“Why's it going away?” Atsushi asked, somewhat saddened that his feathers weren't metal anymore.

“The simple answer, is that you aren't in danger anymore. You'll learn to do it on the fly soon enough.” Tatsuya said as he walked up to them with his third spear in hand.

“Then lets get started.” Atsushi said as he rolled his shoulders back and flexed his wings.

“Keep up.” Tatsuya grinned before dashing forward with the spear at the ready.

As Himuro attacked with everything he could, watching the purple titan attempt to fend off the wildly skilled Tatsuya Himuro was like watching a smaller kid bully the gentle giant. Atsushi was deflecting the strikes, his wings easily shielding him, but that's all he could do. He was stuck on the defensive and Riko and Kagetora were simply not surprised.

“He always does this... It's a wonder Wakamatsu doesn't kill him in his sleep.” Riko scoffed, slowly shaking her head as she set her hands on her hips while she watched.

“Because even in his sleep, Himuro could take him. They'll all benefit from learning from him.” Kagetora said as he released a long sigh.

“That's very true. The sooner, the better.” Riko said plainly, tearing her eyes away to look at her father.

Kagetora nodded, “I agree. Lets just hope the others are just as successful.”

“I'll be surprised if Wakamatsu even bothers to take Daiki out.” Riko smiled as she rolled her eyes.

“He better. I ordered him to, but he gets so grouchy at the Wind Clan. It's a wonder he doesn't stress himself into a coronary.” Kagetora grunted, crossing his arms.

“Well, hopefully Daiki won't be as reckless.” Riko said, shooting her father a sidelong glance.

“Doubt it.”

Riko lowly laughed as she watched the one sided sparing match, how Atsushi was only able to deflect Himuro's blistering pace while Teppei barked out what to do. The purple haired giant seemed to be listening however, as when Himuro charged forward for an aggressive strike, Atsushi spun and slammed his wing into Himuro, tossing him backwards.

“At least he's a fast learner.” Kagetora started to smile before he turned and started to walk away.

Riko spared one last glance at Teppei before turning and following her father, lagging a short distance behind, but quickly caught up with just a flap of her wings.

“They're all shaping up to be fast learners.” Riko smirked.

“Good. At least we're catching that break.” Kagetora scoffed with another grunt.

Riko nodded, “The supporting clans we have available have taken one of them to start laying the foundation.”

“Give me the report, Riko. You're my lieutenant for a reason. Who's working with who.” Kagetora said bluntly.

Riko lightly smiled as she tucked a lock of her caramel hair behind her ear, “Kasamatsu and Kise. Aomine and Wakamatsu. Midorima and a couple of the Hawk-wings we have since we have to see whom he's compatible with, and Kuroko and Kagami are working with a few other members to set up how they work together.”

“What about Akashi?” Kagetora asked, shooting a sidelong glance in Riko's direction as he walked around a pair of Angelika whom were casually talking.

“I'll be meeting up with him to start here soon.” Riko said, her smile gone as she followed her father towards the largest tent that was tucked into the back of the encampment.

“Don't focus too much on teaching him the Emperor Eye. He's already using it to a degree.” Kagetora said, grumbling as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“I noticed. Every time he asked a question, you answered whether you wanted to, or not.” Riko said, falling a step behind as Kagetora walked into the large tent.

Riko followed close behind and let the flap fall closed. The large tent was their operations center, filled with radios, radar and even a map table in the center. Each station was manned by an Angelika keeping keen eyes and ears attuned to the equipment should an emergency arise. There was a constant gentle hum from all the equipment and the inside of the tent was abnormally warm from the trapped heat. She liked it.

“I do hope you briefed Wakamatsu first before throwing a Wind-wing in his face.” Kagetora said, his eyes trained on the subtly glowing map table that displayed the area around the base.

“Where's the fun in that? I just told Daiki where to find him.” Riko said, crossing her arms as a crooked smirk grew across her face.

“So that's what that outburst was from earlier.” Kagetora actually smirked.

“I'm sure he'll be fine. They took the tunnel to the canyon a little bit ago.” Riko said.

Kagetora nodded, “Good-”

He was interrupted when the large monitor screen towards the back of the tent began to chirp, drawing his attention away from the map to see that it was flashing with the words 'Incoming call'. His brows furrowed as he and Riko stepped up to it, but when one of the other Angelika connected the transmission, the screen fizzled to display a young man.

He was no older than Teppei Kiyoshi, with short raven hair and narrow gray-green eyes. He wore thin wire framed glasses that didn't hide his facial features and the portion of his torso they could see in the monitor was adorned with a blue and gray military uniform with no set of wings to speak of. He was Human.

“Junpei!” Riko yelped, her eyes widened as her arms dropped to her sides.

 _“Hey, Riko... Commander Aida.”_ The young man said with a curt nod towards Riko's father.

“Where are you? That doesn't look like the base.” Kagetora said, crinkling his brows as he studied the rather homey looking backdrop.

 _“It's not. I'm at home right now. I couldn't get a good chance to report in at the base.”_ Hyūga said, pushing up his glasses before racking a hand back over his hair.

“Didn't wanna chance it?” Riko asked.

Hyūga shook his head, _“No... It's risky enough as it is. I haven't even changed yet after being taken off shift.”_

“I see that. Who's on duty now?” Kagetora asked, his arms stiffly crossed as his feathers rustled a bit with tension.

 _“Mitobe, Izuki and Tsuchida are. Tomorrow is Furihata, Kawahara and Fukuda. Koganei and I don't go back to the base until Friday for the weekend haul.”_ Hyūga said, rubbing the meat of his shoulder.

“So we won't have any intel until then?” Riko asked with the slightest narrowing of her eyes.

 _“Unfortunately, no. I'll get the pass when we get back on duty, but I do have some stuff for you.”_ Hyūga said.

“Lets hear it.” Kagetora said bluntly.

 _“The truck that was scheduled to arrive the day after tomorrow was canceled, so the op's off. The codes I slipped you won't work anymore.”_ Hyūga said with a slowly released sigh.

“Shit! Why was it canceled?” Kagetora growled.

Hyūga shrugged, “T _he labs didn't need the new shipment of test subjects.”_

Both Riko's and her father's brows furrowed hard.

“Did they finish the drug?” Riko asked with a small gasp.

Hyūga nodded, _“Yeah... FDA plans on clearing it next month. It passed trials a couple days ago when they managed to lessen the side effects.”_

“What does the drug do?” Kagetora asked.

 _“It's a heavy sedative, but the FDA wasn't passing it because it kept killing off the test subjects. It was slowing their hearts so low that they just stopped beating.”_ Hyūga said with a shallow swallow that moved his Adam's apple.

Kagetora's lip curled, “How many died?”

However, Hyūga didn't answer right away as his gray-green eyes shifted down to look at his hands that were off screen. He was pensive as he sighed and looked back up with saddened eyes.

 _“Forty-five all together. Men, women and children.”_ Hyūga said just above a whisper.

Riko cupped a hand over her mouth to stifle her gasp, “Forty-five? They euthanized forty-five of us?”

Again, Hyūga nodded, _“Yeah. I'm sorry.”_

“It's not your fault, Hyūga.” Kagetora said lowly as his grip around his bicep tightened.

 _“I wish I could've done more.”_ Hyūga said lowly.

“There was nothing you could've done without compromising your position.” Riko said, lowering her hand from her lips.

“Riko's right. Your primary objective is to keep from getting caught. If you do, Hyūga, you're in for a world of hurt.” Kagetora said, slowly shaking his head.

 _“I know... We all know.”_ Hyūga said.

“What else you have?” Kagetora asked without a second passing by, if at all to keep the atmosphere from falling.

 _“There's gonna be another two trucks three weeks from today. They'll be loaded with ten women and ten men.”_ Hyūga said, drawing in a deep breath.

“Probably more Mares and Studs scheduled for breeding.” Kagetora said with a laced growl.

Hyūga nodded, _“Most likely. The labs are busy mopping up with their last batch of tests before they start their next set of experiments.”_

“Jesus... How's progress with getting info on the Stock house out?” Kagetora asked.

Hyūga sighed again as his shoulders slumped forward, _“Slow, but I'm working on it. Hanamiya keeps a pretty tight lid on things, so it's tough getting anything whenever I'm there.”_

“Be extra careful with that one. He's sadistic and I don't think he cares whether you're Human, or not; I think he'd throw you into the Stock house just for the fun of it.” Kagetora said with angry eyes.

 _“Oh, he would. I don't even have to think about that.”_ Hyūga shuttered.

“If we could break open the Stock house, we could put a damper on their operations.” Riko said, glancing over at her father.

 _“For at least three months, but the Stock house is one of the most secured facilities in the whole base. Without the Stock, they have no crop and without a way to replenish that crop, testing stops.”_ Hyūga said a bit stiffly.

“We know. Keep working on it, but keep tabs on Hanamiya. If he catches wind of this-” Kagetora's voice trailed off at the thought.

 _“Believe me... We all know,”_ he sighed, _“Anyways, the last bit of info I've got is to let you know you should lay low for a bit. The alarm yesterday really stirred things up so they're sending search parties out that way to see if they can find those seven.”_ Hyūga added.

“Roger that. Thanks for looking out for us, Hyūga.” Kagetora said, softening his glare to send a thankful nod at the boy.

 _“Sure... You own me though when this is all over.”_ Hyūga started to lightly chuckle as he smiled.

“Blow off, Hyūga.” Kagetora laughed.

 _“Yeah yeah... I know. It was worth a shot.”_ Hyūga's smile softened.

“Maybe I'll get you that drink, Junpei. You sure as hell earned it.” Riko threw in as she locked gazes with the boy on the monitor.

Hyūga's cheeks started to lightly shade pink, _“Maybe... I've gotta go. Take care.”_

“You, more so.” Kagetora said before walking back to the map table.

However, Riko stayed put as she forced a smile at the boy, “Just be safe, Junpei. You're in more danger than we are.”

Hyūga nodded, _“I will, Riko. Tell that idiot friend of yours that he better protect you, or else I'll kill him.”_ He crookedly smiled.

Riko's smile broadened, “I wish you the best of luck with that. Could be a good show.”

 _“Maybe, but I'm not really looking to get into a brawl with a Titan.”_ Hyūga airily laughed as he dropped his head and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Good thinking... You look exhausted, Junpei. Get some rest.” Riko said, drawing in a long breath through her nose.

Hyūga looked up and nodded, _“I will. Talk to you later, Riko.”_

Riko waved goodbye before the large monitor clicked off and she turned around, only to fall under the rather stern glare of her father.

“I don't know what I like less; You and Teppei, or you and Hyūga.” Her father grumbled, rolling his eyes and shaking his head.

Riko glared, “It's not what you think, Dad.” She rolled her eyes.

“Uh huh... I'm sure.” Kagetora deadpanned.

Riko sneered as she backhanded her father's arm, earning a mocked ow from him as he flinched away. She couldn't help, but lightly laugh, and it was a nice reprieve from the usual mood that hung in the air over the encampment. Despite their situation, those whom were calling that darn cavern home always found time to smile and it helped a great deal to keep everyone's heart lifted. Morale could make, or break everything and with the arrival of what was quickly becoming known as the Generation of Miracles, it had never been higher.

“Go out to the canyon and get Aomine and Wakamatsu back in here and I'll go start training Akashi.” Kagetora said, drawing Riko from her light musings.

With just a nod, Riko left the operations tent, turning back towards the arena where Himuro, Teppei and Atsushi were still at it. With just that small passing of time, Atsushi had begun to pick up on how Himuro moved, being able to deflect his strikes with just enough precision to allow for him to go on the offensive. He still spent most of the time defending, but between Teppei's direction and Himuro's expert instructions, the purple giant was starting to get it.

“Hey, Teppei!” Riko called out, standing at the edge of the arena.

Teppei, whom was on the ground and watching the lengthy sparing match that had taken to the air, turned around and lightly smiled at her before walking over, his arms dropping from being crossed as he reached out and trailed a large hand down her arm.

“Everything alright?” Teppei asked quietly, releasing her arm just before his hand reached hers.

Riko nodded, “Yeah. I'm just headed out to the canyon to call Daiki and Wakamatsu back in. The Farm's gonna be doing search grids.” She smiled up at him.

Teppei's brows lightly furrowed, “You hear from that Hyūga I take it?”

“Mmhmm... Got some good info, but we've gotta amp up their training. My father might wanna hit the trucks scheduled in three weeks.” She said, loosely crossing her arms to stave off a slight chill along her skin.

Seeing her slight chill, Teppei's wings wrapped around them both, bathing the small space with heat that radiated from his wings. It eased the chill and Riko's smile broadened ever so slightly.

“Thanks.” She near whispered.

“Sure,” he said just as lowly, “So we've got three weeks to train them?” Teppei asked, releasing a long breath.

Riko nodded, “Quite possibly. Think you guys can do it?”

“Never could turn away from a challenge.” He said, his usually soft smile stretching enough to reach his eyes.

“That's what we're counting on.” Riko said, this time in a whisper as she returned his smile.

Teppei just smiled at her before leaning his 6'4 stature over enough to bring his lips to her ear, where he left behind the softest of kisses before he whispered.

“You should get going.” He said, his breath fluttering down her neck as his forehead rested against her temple.

“I'm counting on you.” She whispered back.

Teppei's throat rumbled with a laugh as he stood up straight and unwrapped his wings, never once looking away from her eyes as she stepped around him to head off. Her hand fluttered over his arm before she was too far away to maintain the contact, and it was only then that he looked away to scan the encampment.

He spotted Kasamatsu and Ryōta sitting by one of the many campfires, talking while Ryōta looked at his hands. The orange glow of the light glimmered off his golden wings like they truly were made of gold, and they were so elegant that it was hard to believe that that boy was as deadly as he was.

Slowly shaking his head to clear it, Teppei brought his thumb and forefinger to his mouth and blew, producing a shrill whistle that echoed through the cavern and got their attention.

“Kasamatsu! Round everyone up! We're training together!” Teppei called to the pair.

“What? What for?” Kasamatsu called back, his brows clearly furrowed as the firelight illuminated his palish skin.

“I'll brief everyone once they're here! Just round 'em all up!” Teppei said, placing his hands on his hips.

Kasamatsu rolled his eyes as he stood, closely followed by Ryōta before both headed off to find everyone.

* * *

 

The tunnel that lead to the canyon was long, twisted and narrow. It was only lit by torches and was so narrowed that no one, no matter their size, could spread their wings. She had to keep her wings tucked in close to keep her feathers from scraping against the cold stone walls, all while she watched where she put her feet to make sure she didn't slip. A small stream trickled through the rocks, making several spots slippery, but so long as one was careful, they could traverse the tunnel just fine.

Keeping her hand on the wall to help stabilize her, she hopped over the last part of the stream to begin to hear that telltale screaming that was only ever heard from Wakamatsu. As the encampment's lead medical officer, any little reckless thing sent him over the edge, and his comically short fuse had become the button that several would push just to get some laughs. It was a wonder how he hadn't stressed himself into an early grave, which wasn't out of the realm of possibilities since he was an Aurora-wing; The supporting clan to the Wind-wings.

“What is wrong with you? What did I tell you? Did you even bother listening to a word I said? What is it with Wind-wings and their total, complete and utter disregard for safety! I swear to all the clouds in the sky that you lot are gonna be the death of me!” Boomed a voice, screaming and squeaking with rage that Riko couldn't help, but chuckle at.

As Riko approached the last corner, the darkness of the tunnel gave way to bright light that made her shield her eyes. It only took her eyes a few moments to adjust, where she set them on the pair standing on the ledge at the mouth of the tunnel. Daiki was simply standing there with his hands in his pockets, head lolled back towards the sky with his eyes rolled into his skull, but the other one was screaming his head off. He was tall man, with sandy blonde hair and plain brown eyes. He was muscular and his large, streamlined sandy colored wings were bristling with his anger as he continued to scream at Daiki.

“Seriously! Do you know what would've happened if you didn't stop in time! A high speed crash into the side of a canyon wall would've left me with a job of hosing you off the rocks! I told you we were just working on accelerating and decelerating! Not seeing how fast you could go!” Wakamatsu screamed, the vein in his forehead throbbing so much that Riko was actually concerned that it would erupt.

“I just wanted to see if I could do it. I doubt I broke 140.” Daiki deadpanned, sighing as he finally brought his head forward, but still didn't look at the screaming man.

“You didn't! You can't in the canyon! I told you this before you even went up, but you didn't listen! Winds never listen!” Wakamatsu's voice cracked.

“Relax will ya? I didn't crash and I'm not hurt.” Daiki groaned before sighing, his shoulder rolling forward.

That only made Kōsuke Wakamatsu fume even more.

“Ugh! You don't get it!” Wakamatsu roared before finally noticing Riko watching him, leaning against the tunnel mouth with her slender arms crossed.

“Careful, Wakamatsu... Your brain might explode if you keep at it.” Riko huffed, pushing off the rock to walk towards them.

“This idiot almost got himself flattened! He doesn't listen!” Wakamatsu complained, thrusting a finger out and jabbing its tip into Daiki's nose.

Daiki went cross eyed staring at it, “I didn't almost get flattened.” He defended, flicking the offending appendage.

“Isn't that why he's paired with you? I mean, you're the Aurora-wing after all.” Riko tried to hide her snicker behind her hand, but it wasn't working.

“I know! But why do all the Wind-wings have to be so insane!” Wakamatsu whined.

“That's why they're paired with Aurora-wings. Take a few breaths and head back in. We got a report that The Farm's gonna be searching out this way.” Riko said, crossing her arms once more.

That near immediately defused Wakamatsu's rage, “Huh? Oh... For this idiot. Gotcha. To be honest, I could use the break. I'm losing my mind trying to get this guy to listen.” He rubbed his temples, but his voice had returned to a normal level.

“Oi! Not an idiot!” Daiki glared hard, crossing his arms.

He went ignored.

“I tell him that his wings can accelerate and decelerate him faster than anybody's, but all he wants to do is see how fast he can go. His reckless behavior is gonna get us all caught again!” Wakamatsu's voice was starting to rise back up.

“Calm down, Kōsuke. He isn't gonna get us caught. He doesn't wanna go to The Farm just as much as anybody else.” Riko said soothingly.

“I'm not going back and if that means I chain his ass to a boulder, than I will, but I'm not going back. I'd die first.” Wakamatsu said lowly as his angry eyes shifted from angry to what Daiki thought looked like fear.

“Go take a break, Kōsuke. Teppei will take over for awhile.” Riko said simply as she stepped aside.

Wakamatsu sucked in a shaky breath before sending a glance at Daiki and heading inside, gripping the back of his neck until his form disappeared into the shadows of the tunnel.

“Well that didn't go well.” Daiki sighed as he rubbed his hair with a hand.

“He's always like that. Don't worry... He'll be fine in about a half hour.” Riko said, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear before looking up to him.

“His mood certainly changed at the end there. He almost looked scarred.” Daiki said, shifting his dark navy eyes towards the much smaller girl.

“Can't say I blame him. If we hadn't intercepted his truck when we did, he'd be Stock.” Riko said, releasing another breath.

Daiki's brows furrowed, “Stock?”

At the mere mention, he saw Riko's shoulders tense and her eyes go distant and it was clear that she wasn't telling him something.

“What's Stock?” Daiki asked, his voice low as he continued to watch her.

Riko started to shake her head, “There's a reason we haven't told you and that's because we don't wanna scare you. All I'll say, is that The Farm has a crop and that crop needs to be harvested and Stock is how they do it.” She rubbed her upper arm.

“And he would've been one?” Daiki asked.

Riko nodded, “Yeah... He was being trucked in from one of the other bases to replace one of the Stock that had been killed. He's terrified of getting caught again.”

“Was he Stock at the other base?” Daiki asked, stuffing his hands back into his pockets.

“No... He had just turned 16 at the time, so he was freshly chosen. We intercepted him just before he arrived at The Farm. You see that scar in his left ear by chance?” Riko asked, toeing the dirt.

Daiki just nodded.

“That's where his Stock tag was. He was tagged to be Stock #6.” Riko said, sucking in a deep breath.

“What's the crop?” Daiki asked, continuing to watch her posture with the hope of figuring out what she was talking about.

However, Riko just shook her head and sucked on her bottom lip.

“Listen, if you don't wanna tell me-” He was cut off.

“It's semen.” Riko said bluntly.

Daiki's breath caught in his throat as he stood up straighter.

Riko hung her head as she spoke, “The Farm doesn't allow the females and males to have direct contact, so in order to breed, they artificially inseminate. In order to get the semen from the Studs, they use Stock; Teenage boys between the ages of 16 and 18. It's to avoid accidental pregnancy and since their livestock is self aware and can resist instinct, a living mount was needed in order to milk the Studs.”

Daiki's mouth hung open in shock, “W-What?” He choked out.

“Last year, Kōsuke was 16. It put him right within the age bracket and we rescued him before he was carted off to the Stock house.” Riko said, looking back at the tunnel entrance.

Daiki felt himself shaking, “W-We've gotta get them out of there! We can't let them be used like sex slaves!” His fists clenched.

“We can't!” Riko snapped, “If we barge in now, we risk people getting captured and we can't do that. Not to these people! We need information first and we're trying everything to get it, but it's slow going. The Stock house is one of the most secured places on the base and without being properly prepared, we're screwed. As it stands right now, not a single person here was ever involved with the Stock house. Wakamatsu is the closest.” She finished, her voice returning to its normal volume.

Daiki's heart was beating painfully against his sternum, “We've gotta hit it... We've gotta free them.”

Riko nodded, “And we will, but in time. There's an op in three weeks, so get inside and train. This is why having you all hear is such a miracle. It gives us hope, but don't tell anyone. The Stock house is a sore subject.”

As she started to walk off, leaving him to stand on the shaded ledge, all Daiki could do was reel at what he had heard. He was fully aware how dark the world could be, but to hear that, his stomach churned with disgust and bile and he was suddenly feeling that perhaps, Wakamatsu had a right to be so worried about people's well-beings.

Feeling a small wet heat streak down his cheek, Daiki reached up and swiped it away, finding it to be a single, solitary tear. His heart still ached with each beat, but as he released a long breath that he had been holding while trapped inside his head, he headed back through the tunnel.

Being quite a bit bigger than Riko, Daiki had a much more interesting time getting through, but eventually, he emerged back out into the encampment. His attention was immediately drawn to the arena where Atsushi, Shintarō, Tetsuya, Taiga, Ryōta and Seijūrō were training with Himuro, Kasamatsu and Teppei, but he wasn't interested in that just yet. He was more interested in finding where Wakamatsu had gone and as he walked through the encampment, he found him sitting by a campfire next to the infirmary tent.

His soft brown eyes stared blindly at the orange flames, his elbows pressed into his thighs with his fingers interlaced. He was so lost in thought that he didn't bother looking up as Daiki came to stand beside him. It afforded him a chance to look at the scar in the upper part of his left ear where the tag had been pierced through. It was jagged, distorted at the cartilage at the base of the healed slit that split his ear, and it was blatantly obvious that the tag hadn't been removed, but torn out.

With a clearing of his throat, Daiki finally earned the man's attention as he sat down next to him.

“I'll listen.” Daiki said so lowly, that his words were nearly lost to the crackle of the flames.

Wakamatsu just stared for a bit, quietly breathing as he studied his face. He started to feel a bit uneasy, but when he started to nod, the tension started to lift.

“Now you know why I don't wanna see anyone go back. I got lucky that Commander Aida and Kiyoshi got me out when they did, but so many more have been hurt. I'm an Aurora-wing and my job is to care for people and seeing what those humans do to us... It makes a piece of my soul die every time.” Wakamatsu said, his voice strangely calm and stone cold.

Daiki nodded, “I didn't know. I'm sorry.”

“It's alright. Believe it, or not, there's a method behind my madness,” he dropped his head to scrub the back of his head, “Go get in the arena with the others. I'll be there with a med kit in a minute.” He pressed his hands into his knees and stood.

“Worried someone's gonna get hurt?” Daiki asked with a cocky smirk as he rose to his feet.

“Kiyoshi's in there, so... Yes.”

Daiki laughed as he started towards the arena.

* * *

 

_**Hyūga: Laying it on a bit thick, aren't you, Kiyoshi?** _

_**Teppei: (Shrugs) What? It's what the script wanted.** _

_**Hyūga: That thick?** _

_**Lycanwolff: Actually, yes... See? (Shows Hyūga script)** _

_**Hyūga: (Huffs) Ugh... Ok, fine. (Crosses arms)** _

_**Riko: Wanna go to lunch, Junpei?** _

_**Hyūga: (Grins) Why yes I do.** _

_**Teppei: I wanna come too!** _

_**Hyūga: (Growls at)** _

_**Riko: Sure... The more the merrier. (Trots off with both boys)** _

_**Lycanwolff: (Facepalms) Oy vey... No set fights please!** _

_**Shintarō: You and I have to talk. (Pushes up glasses)** _

_**Lycanwolff: I'm not changing the script, Shin. It's warm and fluffy and wonderful and I'll pay you more.** _

_**Shintarō: (Growls and glares) Ok fine.** _

 


	6. Episode 6

**Episode 6**

 

Two and a half weeks straight of hard training had left the boys tired, hungry and more than a bit frustrated.

Atsushi Murasakibara had trained hard and long, near constantly sparing with Tatsuya Himuro and Teppei Kiyoshi. He had vastly improved since he first started and now was capable of advancing on Himuro to the point of forcing the smaller Raven-wing to go on the defensive. Despite his 6'10, 218 pound bulk, he was surprisingly fast on his feet and when he started pairing his attacks with huge sweeps of his wings, the Raven-wing had called for help in the form of the only other Titan capable of taking on a Murasakibara; Teppei Kiyoshi.

They had all improved to the point where they could at least stay standing on their own two feet, learning their abilities and practicing how to fight, but for Shintarō Midorima, two and a half weeks had put him on such a short fuse, that the slightest misstep whether it be a single word, or action, would send him over the edge.

“Target five feet up... Three feet starboard... Distance of twenty feet.” Said his current partnered Hawk-wing, a small girl with a poofy pony tail and feathers that were slightly curly on her brunette wings.

The vein in Shintarō's forehead started to throb as he envisioned what the Hawk-wing had said, facing away from the targets that he had been focusing so much on. His green wings bristled with his irritation as he flicked his left one, sending a twelve inch metal razor feather flying through the air with a hissing whistle, but without even having to see, the sound of it bouncing off a rock was the last straw.

“Goddammit! That's not where it was!” Shintarō snapped, wheeling around to see that the target was, in fact, five feet off the ground, three feet to the right and twenty feet away.

“I-I'm sorry, but my instructions were right, Senpai. I'm not sure what else to do.” The Hawk-wing girl said shyly as she sunk down into her shoulders.

Shintarō clawed his hands into his hair, “Ugh! You're doing something wrong! That has to be it! I miss more than I hit and I'm supposed to have 100% accuracy!” His throat ripped with a snarl.

“I'm sorry, Senpai... I-I-” The girl mumbled.

“Stop calling me Senpai! Jesus Christ!” He roared.

“Midorima! Knock it off!” Came a voice from behind him, booming and startling him so much that he spun around as if he had just been caught by a teacher.

Riko stood a few feet away with her arms crossed, glaring hard at him with her fuming rage puffing her cheeks. The feathers of her wings rustled as the small Hawk-wing girl walked towards her, never looking up from the ground until she stopped and bowed.

“I'm sorry, Lieutenant Aida. It seems that Midorima-senpai isn't compatible with any of the Hawk-wings here.” She said, again in a shy voice and refusing to look up at Riko.

“Its ok. I doubted we would've been that lucky anyways.” Riko said, patting the girl's shoulder before she hurried off.

Shintarō's brows furrowed as he pushed up his glasses, “I-I... I don't understand.” He said, this time in a flat voice as he sat down on a flat topped boulder.

Riko blew out a long breath, “I think you're worrying too much about it. It was a long shot to think you'd find a Hawk-wing already here that you were compatible with.” She said, dropping her arms as she went to sit next to him.

Shintarō swallowed his irritation as he planted his elbows on his thighs and gripped his head in his hands, “How am I supposed to be effective if I don't gel with any of them?”

Riko lightly shrugged, “We'll make do. Try not to worry about it right now. Just focus on getting better with your razor feathers.”

Shintarō stayed quiet for a minute, just drawing in breath after breath as he finally lifted his head and looked over at her. The anger was gone, but her eyes were still firm and in all honesty, it helped to battle back the sheer amount of frustration that had been boiling in his gut for so long.

“I will... How are you going to compensate for my lack of partner?” He asked, gripping the meat of his shoulders to give them a light massage.

“Probably pair you with more than one Hawk-wing, but you won't be able to be far away like you would be if you had a compatible partner. You'll have to be within sight of _your_ eyes to the trucks.” Riko said, crossing her arms once more.

“Do the other clans have this issue?” He asked, his brows furrowing some more as he stared down at the sand.

Riko drew in a deep breath, “No... It's a unique trait of the Razor-wings. If your signs don't match up, working together gets a bit hard. It adds another layer of depth to the Razor-wings and in all honesty, I don't envy you.”

Shintarō scoffed, “Thanks.”

“I didn't mean it like that, Midorima. We just haven't found your match yet.” Riko said, resting her hand on his shoulder.

“But when will I? If I can't be at my best for this op in a couple days, I don't wanna go.” He said, looking over at her.

“I'm afraid there's no choice. We're gonna need your prowess. We only have a small group of Razor-wings, but you're the most capable.” She said, taking her hand back.

“I can barely hit a target right now.” He said, pointing at his designated target that wasn't nearly as peppered with holes as he would have liked.

Riko turned her head to look at it for a moment before she stood and walked over to it, reaching out and pulling a stiff metal feather from it with care. She made sure to grip it by the stem so its frill didn't slice her skin, as she knew that the slightest grazing would cause her to bleed as if she had just been shot. It was beautiful, like a real feather had been cast in silver, but it was deadly and feared.

“Can we try something?” Riko asked, slipping the razor feather back into the slit she had pulled it from.

“Like what?” He asked as he stood.

Riko walked back towards him, but instead of stopping by his side, she stepped in behind him and grabbed the thick part of his wings, making him stand up stick straight with a gulp.

“W-W-What're you doing?” Shintarō stuttered, his cheeks burning with crimson as she started to shake his wings.

“Loosening you up. Relax. You're too tense.” Riko said, giving his wings another firm shake to force him to loosen their muscles.

Shintarō's throat started to close up as he shakily pushed up his glasses, “I-I-I'm not tense.” He gulped.

Riko barked a laugh, “Bullshit! You're nothing but a giant, 6'5 tower of tension, now relax before I call Teppei over here to give you a massage.”

That caused him to stiffen more.

“No! No no no no no no! That won't be necessary.” Shintarō gulped.

“I didn't think so,” she grumbled, “Park it somewhere. You're too freaking tall.” Riko ordered as she released his wings.

With another gulp, Shintarō stiffly walked over to a log by a healthy campfire and sat down, sweeping his wings so that the primary feathers weren't clustered up into the sands. He settled his wings and gave his shoulders a roll, finally taking note of the stiffness that had seated itself in the meat of his shoulders. That same stiffness stretched down his back and he hadn't realized in his determination to train and get better, that even his wings felt stiff.

“I guess I am a bit tensed up.” Shintarō said lowly, scratching his chest through the sleeveless muscle shirt that hugged his torso.

“Just breathe and relax.” Riko said from behind him as she gave her knuckles a crack.

Shintarō just nodded, but when he felt her small fingers unzip the back of the low cut line of his shirt, instantly loosening it and exposing his entire back to her, he went rigid again. She pushed the shirt down his arms so his shoulders were exposed and if it wasn't for the orange glow of the fire, the flush radiating in his cheeks would glow in the dark of their cavern.

“Relax, Midorima. Jesus... I'm not gonna fuck you. I'm gonna massage you.” Riko rolled her eyes as she placed her dainty hands on his shoulders.

Shintarō gulped hard again, “Such lady-like language.”

That earned him a smack to the back of the head.

“Oi! What was that for?” He reeled, ducking his head and holding it with his arms.

“Don't give me crap, or I swear I'll go get Teppei for this!” Riko sneered, slapping his arms away from his head to lower them back down.

“Ok! Sheesh! I'm sorry!” He reeled, mildly cringing as he pushed up his glasses that had fallen down his nose from the smack.

Riko's hand came down on his exposed shoulders, beginning to kneed them and roll the muscle just enough to make him hold his breath. He was far more tensed than he would have cared to admit, but as her deft fingers worked, he felt himself start to relax.

“What's the deal with you and him anyways?” He asked, simply to make conversation so he wasn't focused on the pressure she was applying.

“Me and who?” Riko asked, pressing her thumbs into the base of his neck to slide them up his spine on either side.

“You and Kiyoshi. You two seem... close.” He said, lowering his head to give her the best access.

Her hands stilled for just a moment, “He's a very close friend.”

“He seems like he's more than that.” Shintarō said, opting to stare at the crackling flames.

“Teppei saved my ass on our last rescue run to The Farm. We had broken out about a dozen of us and were just about ready to pull out, but I got hit with a tranq dart and dropped. The Humans bound me and tossed me into the truck, but Teppei wheeled around and came back for me. He was so hot with rage that he sheered the truck in half in one go, picked me up and flew away. The last thing I remember was seeing the truck blow up before I passed out.” Riko explained, her hands continuing to kneed the muscles in his shoulders.

“Sounds impressive.” He said quietly.

“When I came to, he was sitting by my bedside. He hadn't left it in six hours.” Riko said, moving her motions down to his shoulder blades around the base of his wings.

Shintarō just nodded his head as he released a long sigh, his expression barely twitching as her fingers hit a particularly tight spot just above his right wing. He hadn't realized it, but that had been the wing he had been firing the razor feathers from the most, and with being left handed, he wasn't exactly sure why he hadn't been focusing more with using his left wing instead. As he fingers pressed even further, he couldn't stop from flinching hard and leaning away from her work, drawing in deep breaths that more sounded like hisses than anything else.

“There we go... Here's one of your problem spots.” Riko said, pulling his right shoulder back to apply even more pressure to the spot.

“Ow! Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow!” Shintarō cringed hard and sucked in air through his clenched teeth.

“Ah... One of Riko's massages. Better you than me.” Came a sudden voice, forcing Shintarō to open his eyes and see Teppei walking up with three mugs in his large hands.

“She's a bit... Ugh... stronger than I thought.” Shintarō choked out, taking one of the mugs from his offered hand.

“Trust me, you're talking to someone who's more than aware of that.” Teppei said with a crooked smirked, setting down a mug for Riko on the log before sitting down on another that had been cut to form a seat.

Shintarō crinkled his brows as he shot the large Titan a glance, “Sounds like you've gotten a few.”

Teppei nodded to by him time to swallow his sip, “Oh yeah. As the resident Titan, I get beat to shit on ops.”

“That's because you don't know when to quit.” Riko fired at him with a friendly smirk.

“True, but it's for a good reason.” Teppei said, holding the warm mug in both his hands.

“I'll give you that, but do try to meet me in the middle and not catch RPGs to the face. That would be greatly appreciated.” Riko said, her lips stretching for a full smile as she grasped Shintarō's right wing and began to step back with it to feel how the muscles flexed beneath her hands.

“Catch an RPG?” Shintarō asked, sitting up straight and taking a sip from the mug, finding it to be warm soup broth that helped to ease even more set in tension.

Teppei blushed a bit and gripped the back of his neck, “Yeah... It was on the run where my knee got blown. We tried making a run for the Stock house, but one of the guys busted out a rocket launcher and let one go. I managed to protect the squad, but my feathers got a bit ruffled on that one. A Human blew out my knee with an electric baton just before I got to my feet.”

“Ouch.” Was all Shintarō could think to say before taking another sip.

“That put him down for awhile. He was laid up in the infirmary for weeks, mainly because he couldn't fly. He lost a few primaries because of the blast.” Riko said, applying some pressure to her thumbs as she ran them down the thick arm of his right wing.

“Good thing they grow fast.” Teppei grinned cheekily.

Finally finishing with Shintarō's right wing, Riko gave it a gentle shake and maneuvered its joints around to loosen them up before letting it go back to rest. He had to admit it felt better, and when she started to pay the same kind of attention to his left wing, he finally felt like the tension and stress was bleeding off of him.

“I thought Titans could withstand blasts like that.” Shintarō said, starting to actually enjoy the massage and the broth.

“Atsushi can, but that's my limit. Any more than that, and my feathers get burned.” Teppei said, his smile gone as he took a sip of his broth.

“Sounds like they already did to a degree.” Shintarō said, taking a sip and letting it simmer on his tongue while Riko's fingers pressed into his back.

Teppei huffed a lopsided smile, “Yeah, I guess so.”

Riko paused just long enough to take a drink from her mug before grabbing his left shoulder and pulling it back, forcing his muscle to press down harder on her fingers. He cringed at the pressure, but when the base of his left wing popped and crackled hard, his mug dropped to the sands as he yelped.

“Goddammit!” He hissed, gritting his teeth as his head hung and eyes squeezed shut.

“Oh! I know what all this is from!... It's not tension from training, it's build up from binding your wings!” Riko reeled with her revelation as she gently shook his wing to lessen the throb that had erupted from the pop.

“He need a cracking?” Teppei asked, finishing off his broth before rising to his full height.

With another hard jerk from Riko, Shintarō's shoulder popped again, producing a few more crackles from the base of his wing that shuttered the muscle. The pain was white hot and searing, but it didn't linger too long before finally dissipating up the back of his neck.

“Yeah... Give me a hand, Teppei.” Riko said, placing her hands on Shintarō's shoulders to sit him up straight.

All Shintarō could do was sit there with his pounding head as Teppei pushed his wings down against his back to get them out of the way before leaning down and threading his thick arms under his. He curled them up to grip his shoulders before crouching down in a deep squat, putting his mouth level with Shintarō's ear where a bead of sweat had started to build against his temple.

“This isn't going to feel good.” Teppei whispered, feeling Shintarō's skin go cold beneath his hands.

The green haired boy only had enough time to nod and breath before Teppei pulled his shoulders back with near all of his strength, popping every muscle, every ligament, every inch of cartilage to send the hottest of roaring fires straight up and down his spine. He arced back and opened his mouth to scream, but Riko's hands clapped down hard to stifle it. Only his throat ripped with the noise that sounded more off in the distance and as his eyes squeezed shut to shed a single tear, he reached up and grabbed the nape of Teppei's neck simply to have something to grab onto.

With another hard jerk, more pops and cracks thundered down his spine, but as Teppei did more and more, they started to soften. The pain lessened and the fire that had burst from nothing in his head began to douse and smolder down until it was gone, leaving behind only ash that left his brain somehow refreshed and like new.

“There we go. You alive?” Teppei asked, releasing his infallible hold to let Shintarō fall forward, only to be caught when Riko propped him up by his shoulders.

“Barely.” Shintarō breathed, panting a bit hard as his head hung and his body pulled itself out from the hell pit he had fallen into.

“Eh... You'll live. That's what you get for binding them.” Teppei grinned, heavily patting Shintarō's shoulders that made him jerk around.

“Try sitting up and moving your wings now.” Riko said, pushing him to sit up on his own, but kept her hands in place in case he fell forward again.

Shintarō swallowed and nodded, swiping the back of his hand across his forehead to rid it of the small beads of sweat before he shrugged back into his muscle shirt. Having zipped it thousands of times by himself, it took only a moment for him to clasp it and zip it up and the moment he did, he realized his arms had a broader range of motion.

“I... I can move.” He breathed out, rolling his shoulders a bit as he stood up and tugged his shirt flat against his chest.

“Try firing. I bet that's why you were having accuracy problems.” Riko said, picking up her mug to enjoy her broth, but found it had cooled to only somewhat warm.

Drawing in a deep breath, Shintarō stepped up to where he had been standing, twenty feet away from his target, and swept his wings a bit to loosen them up. They felt so light and airy, like they were made of air and they moved like every joint they possessed was well oiled. Before, they had felt heavy and rigid, but now, was a whole new ballgame.

Pushing up his glasses, he set his emerald eyes on his target, glaring at it as if it had insulted his pride. He wanted every razor to find its mark, to bury themselves so deeply that the target risked being torn asunder. The very thought made him grin, so with his mind made up, he fired.

The silence of the cavern was broken by the hissing whistle of dozens of razor feathers, all firing from both his wings as he snapped them towards the target like they were whips. Over and over, the silver feathers covered the distance in less than a second and when he finally finished the barrage, he started to smile.

Every, single razor feather had embedded itself in the target.

“There we go! You were missing because you were tensed up from binding your wings.” Riko said with a pleased smirk, glancing up at Teppei whom smiled back.

“Could it be why I wasn't connecting with the Hawk-wings?” Shintarō asked, pushing up his glasses again as he turned around to face them, his wings rustling as the feathers settled back into place.

“I doubt it. If you didn't gel with them, you just plain aren't compatible. I've been told it could take years for a Razor-wing to find their compatible match back in our golden age.” Riko said, patting Teppei's arm as she started to walk towards the target.

Shintarō followed her with his head, “I really hope it doesn't take that long. If I can't fully exercise my capabilities, than I'm no better than any other Razor-wing.”

“That may be the case, but all we can tell you is what we've been told. Very few Angelika here know from experience.” Riko said, stepping up to the target and pulling a razor feather.

“I've seen. Most are no older than us.” Shintarō said, crossing his arms and glancing at Teppei as he stepped up next to him.

“That's because anyone older is used as test subjects and that usually ends in death. The Farm is more interested in using teenagers because they don't have to wait as long to get anything useful out of them. Very few Angelika make it passed the age of thirty.” Teppei said, his thick arms crossed to bulge his biceps that made Shintarō shutter at the thought of having his back cracked again.

“Makes sense I suppose... From a brutality standpoint that is,” he shrugged, “If I can asked, do we live the same amount of time as Humans?” Shintarō asked, drawing in a breath as he watched Riko pull the razor feathers, one after another, from the target to set them down on the sand.

“No... We don't,” he started to smirk, “We're supposed to live twice as long; Somewhere around two hundred years.” Teppei said.

“Ah... I find myself suddenly understanding the Humans' motivations. I don't agree with them, but I understand them.” Shintarō said, releasing a sigh.

“How so?” Teppei asked, his thicker brows furrowing slightly.

“They want our longevity. I bet, that on top of their testing, they're researching how to lengthen their own lifespans.” Shintarō said.

Teppei's lips slightly parted, “You know... You might be onto something. Maybe there's some secret experiments happening in the underground facility.” He caught Riko's gaze.

“We haven't thought about that since we're focusing more on rescuing people, but we aren't making a dent. Maybe we need to strike at them head on instead of hitting their transport trucks.” Riko said, pulling the last razor feather from the target to set it down.

“Does that Hyūga guy you know have info you think, Riko?” Teppei asked.

Riko shrugged, “Maybe, but he's only a sergeant. I doubt he has access to secrets like that.” She dusted her hands off on her tighter pants.

“It's worth a shot isn't it?” Teppei asked, lowering his arms to his sides.

“I'll send him a message. Get these razors taken care of for me, ok?” Riko said as she started off.

“I got 'em!” Teppei called out to her.

As Riko trotted off, Shintarō could only pop an eyebrow as he stared at the pile of razor feathers, seeing that she had placed them down onto a cloth to roll them up with. Teppei knelt down and wrapped them in the cloth to protect himself before carrying them like a delicate bundle in his large arms.

“What're you doing with those?” Shintarō asked, bending down to pick up the three mugs before following him.

“We use them to tip the spears that we train with.” Teppei said simply and with a half shrug.

Shintarō sent him a sidelong glance, “Why?”

“Only thing that's readily available and we tend to go through them.” Teppei said, nodding a few greetings to some Angelika passing by with arms full of produce.

“Ah... And here I was thinking that it was to provide you with some sort of challenge.” Shintarō said, pushing up his glasses as they walked.

Teppei arced a brow with his own sidelong glance, “Razor feathers aren't much of a challenge.”

With another push up of his glasses, Shintarō stopped walking, watching Teppei's back and his wings drag behind him like a cape. He tilted his head as he studied them, and with the slightest twitch in his lips, he snapped his right wing and shot a single razor.

The hissing whistle caused Teppei to stop dead in his tracks, but without even looking, his left wing whipped from side to side, its large feathers frilled, but that's when Shintarō's eyes started to widen as they set on the silver razor feather caught between them.

Giving his wing a shake, the razor fell to the ground where everyone whom had seen had stopped to watch. Teppei turned around and stared at the green haired boy, his eyes flat and neutral, but his lips were adorned with the slightest air of a smile.

“Just one? How quaint.” Teppei said smoothly, passing off the bundle of razor feathers to a passing Angelika.

“I can send as many as you'd like.” Shintarō said without any indication that he was phased.

“And I can catch as many as you'd like.” Teppei shot back, crossing his thick arms to bulge every muscle in his torso.

“I'd like you to.” Shintarō said, balling his fists loosely at his sides.

“Arena.” Was all Teppei said.

Keeping ahold of his gaze, Shintarō simply stepped passed him, his wings bristling with each step he took towards the arena. He drew in slow, lung filling breaths to clear his head, and the only thought that remained was that he very much wanted to see how he would fair. Now that he felt lighter, more maneuverable and all around more accurate, he wanted to see if he could lend weight to his words and confirm that the target hadn't been just a fluke.

As he approached the arena, he stopped at its edge to watch Himuro and Atsushi battle it out. The smaller Raven-wing was blitzing Atsushi with a pair of duel swords, clanging them against Atsushi's metal wings with such force that each strike produced sparks. His whirlwind attacks were halted when Atsushi, somehow, sprung backwards enough for a full backflip, slicing his wings up to severe the blades from their hilts to fall harmlessly to the sands.

He was about to say something until Teppei stepped up and called out, clearing the arena before stepping in and reaching behind his back, unzipping the back of his similar black muscle shirt and shrugging out of it.

“Stance up, Midorima. Show me what you've got.” Teppei said, tossing Himuro his shirt and hopping a few times on the balls of his feet to loosen up.

Drawing in a deep breath, Shintarō reached behind his back and unzipped his shirt, pulling it off and handing it to Atsushi as he stepped into the arena's sand. He watched Teppei move, how his muscles rippled and flexed as he loosened up and how his mousy brown wings seemed a lot more ominous than they had by the fire. He truly got a sense for how large they were when he stretched them up high enough to tickle the end of a low hanging stalactite.

As Shintarō stepped up to the other side of the arena across from his opponent, he pushed up his glasses and locked gazes.

“Titan versus Razor... This should be interesting.” Teppei said as he started to smirk, widening his stance to crouch into a dragon stance with his arms raised and ready.

“Take down match! First to down their opponent wins! No blood! No injuries!” Came a sudden voice, drawing their attention to see it was Riko.

Shintarō swallowed before rolling his shoulders, only widening his stance to place his feet a shoulder's width apart. He wasn't a front line fighter, he was well aware of it in fact, but there was one thing he had that Teppei didn't; Range.

In a burst, Shintarō snapped and swept his wings, sending dozens of razors at a time to scream across the arena, but Teppei was deceptively fast for his size. His giant wings crossed in front of him without him even have to move an inch and each razor feather stuck where it had been caught between his feathers. He was a shielded mass on the other side of the arena, forcing Shintarō to stop and allow his opponent to move.

The barrage stopped, Teppei's wings spread, but instead of rising to his feet, he leaped and spun hard, whipping his wings to shoot the razors right back in Shintarō's direction. He leaned hard to the side to avoid the piercing projectiles that buried themselves into the rock, managing to fire several more clusters of razors with a snap of his right wing. Those too were deflected and forgotten before Teppei broke out into a dead sprint in his direction.

His eyes wide, Shintarō gave his wings a huge downbeat, rocketing him into the air where he simultaneously shot a few dozen more razors straight for the sand. Teppei skidded to a halt just before coming right beneath him where he could have been hit, and instead, beat his wings to chase after the Razor-wing. However, the moment he did, he was met with another piercing barrage of razor feathers that he was forced to deflect with a sweep of his wings.

With a hard lateral roll, Teppei darted right, getting out from underneath the deadly Razor-wing before spreading his wings and shooting upwards again, only to come to a screeching hover when Shintarō was nowhere to be found.

“What the-” Teppei exhaled, watching the shadows for any sign of his opponent.

He could hear Shintarō's wings flapping and bristling, as it was amplified by the vastness of the cave, but he couldn't see him. It was the one advantage he had against him, to put as much distance between them as he could, and with the added challenge of the shadows, Teppei had to actually put his guard up.

The steady flapping was soon shattered by more piercing whistles and Teppei only had a split second to react. He spun around to see the glint of the razors in the firelight and with a huge sweep of his wings, he caught them and sent them right back.

The sound of razor feathers pummeling into rock told him he had missed, which wasn't surprising. Titan's didn't have the accuracy that Razor-wings did, so until he could get his paws on the slippery green haired boy, he was stuck on the defensive.

Every sense he had was scanning the shadows, but when a pair of feet came down hard against his back, right between his shoulder blades, he was forced straight down to the ground. He growled as he slapped his wings together, trapping the attacker between them where he rolled and threw the boy towards the sands. He quickly righted himself to prepare for another barrage, but instead he saw Shintarō spread in wings to halt his decent and skidded to a crouched landing in the arena's sands.

“Catch.” Shintarō grinned crookedly.

Without even standing, he snapped his wings so fast that they shot out razors like bullets leaving a machine gun, all flying straight towards Teppei where he crossed his wings in front of him to shield himself. He was ready and waiting for the hits, but they never came with the exception of what was caught between his primaries.

Furrowing his brows, Teppei moved his wings once the barrage had stopped and dropped down semi-hard onto the sand, plucking the only razor from his feathers to hold it like a knife. Shintarō finally rose to his full height before charging forward, still smirking wide that caught Teppei by surprise. Shintarō wheeled around in an attempt to drive his heel into the side of his head, but with a hard sweep of his wing, Teppei plowed it straight into Shintarō's side and sent him to the sand.

Before Shintarō could even react, Teppei was on him, dropping a knee down onto his chest to pin him down and brought the razor feather to his neck.

“I win... Honestly, I'm surprised you missed.” Teppei smirked crookedly, holding the take down for a moment before tossing the razor feather aside and standing up.

“I didn't miss.” Shintarō said, his crooked smirk widening even more as he propped himself up on his elbows.

Teppei's brows furrowed, “Yeah you did. Only one of those hit me.” He offered his hand to help Shintarō up.

Shintarō pushing up his glasses before taking the offering, but he glanced back at their crowd that included all the boys. However, he was more interested in the expressions on the Hawk-wings faces, all of them, as their eyes were wide and several had their hands cupped over their mouths. He knew they could see through the shadows.

“Care to show him?” Shintarō called out to the small cluster of Hawk-wings.

The small girl whom he had yelled at just gulped and hoisted a torch from the edge of the arena before taking to wing and flying towards the darkness at the top of the cavern. Teppei's eyes followed her the whole time as the firelight pushed back the shadows, but when she stopped and held the torch up, Teppei's breath left his lungs.

The massive amount of razors that Shintarō had fire like a machine gun were all embedded in the cave rock, but they were perfectly arranged in the shape of him, forming an outline that was the perfect size, perfect shape and perfect form of Teppei Kiyoshi.

“Like I said... I didn't miss.” Shintarō said, pushing up his glasses again as his wings rustled behind him to rid them of sand.

Teppei tore his eyes away from the image to looked at Shintarō, his lips parted in disbelief and his eyes wide from shock with the realization that at anytime during the quick match, Shintarō could have burned him.

“Holy shit-” Teppei breathed out as Riko came trotting up to hand him his shirt.

Shintarō accepted his shirt back from the Hawk-wing girl whom still held the torch, “It's a remarkable resemblance... Don't you think?”

With another glance up to where the outline was, hidden back in shadow, Teppei threaded his arms back through his shirt and shrugged into it, where Riko zipped it up in back. The smug expression that adorned the green-haired boy's face irritated him to know end, as even though he had officially lost the match, he was gloating and he frankly thought that it had no place in the arena.

“You know... I think the little shit deserves a reward, don't you think, Riko?” Teppei asked, resting a hand down on her shoulder as he looked down at her.

“I think so, and you're just the man to do it, Teppei.” Riko smiled, patting his hard chest before stepping away with a smirk.

Shintarō's brows furrowed, but before he could even get his shirt on, Teppei lunged forward and scooped him up into a huge bear hug that was vice like and he had no hope of breaking out.

“What the hell! Let me go! What're you doing!” Shintarō roared, his green wings flailing in an attempt to wiggle himself free of the Titan's grasp.

“Giving you your reward!” Teppei laughed out loud before giving his huge wings a powerful downbeat.

The pair lifted into the air where Shintarō continued to struggle, beating his fists into Teppei's sides to try and loosen the infallible grip, but it was no use. True to name, the Titan had titan like strength and as he flapped his wings and brought them to hover above the lake, Shintarō's heart began to race as he realized what was about to happen.

“No! No no no! Don't! You won, so why do I get the reward!” Shintarō roared, still wiggling, still struggling to get free.

“Because... you're... a... smartass!”

With a hard spin, Teppei wheeled around to build up momentum before he threw Shintarō straight down with his back towards the water. The throw was so strong, so powerful, that there was nothing Shintarō could do to right himself and the only thing he had time to do was cup his hands over his face to keep his glasses from disappearing into the dark water.

Hitting the lake back first near knocked the wind out of him, and he submerged in an instant where he flailed and held his breath. The water was cold and the shock of it made his skin instantly pimp with goosebumps from head to toe, making him shiver as he tried to figure out which way was up. It was so dark that it was almost impossible to know which way to go, but with a powerful beat of his wings, he shot towards the surface.

The second he broke the surface he sucked in a huge lungful of air that barreled his chest. His hair clung to his face as the water beaded away from his eyes and as they cleared, he saw everyone laughing at his expense.

“That's for being a smartass! In a real battle, Humans won't care! Remember that!” Teppei called out to him from the shore, his arm slung over Riko's shoulders as they all continued to laugh.

The vein in Shintarō's forehead pulsed with fury as Teppei turned and walked away with Riko right by his side with her hand on his back. His throat rolled with a growl as he swept his wings and arms, swimming towards shore and when he got there, the small Hawk-wing girl was there with a towel and a change of clothes.

“Are you alright, Midorima-senpai?” She asked as he climbed out of the lake and ran a hand back over his hair.

“Fine.” He grunted, shaking his wings to rain water down and out of his feathers.

“You fought well. I'm glad to see you got your accuracy.” She said, handing him the towel.

Shintarō slipped his glasses off and wiped his face dry, giving his wings another shake to sprinkle a bit more water, but he glared at them as he spread his right one, growling even more at the disheveled feathers what would take hours to dry.

“Guess I'm not flying for awhile.” He scoffed, drying his arms and chest.

“If you want, Senpai, I can preen them for you once they dry out.” She said a bit shyly, clutching the change of pants and picked up shirt to her chest as she looked away from him.

“You don't need to. I yelled at you earlier for no reason, so there's certainly no expectation for you to show me kindness.” Shintarō said, ruffling his hair in an attempt to towel dry it.

“It's ok, Senpai. I understand you frustration. Razor-wings are driven to find their compatible Hawk-wing, but sometimes it takes awhile. You're frustrated because you've tried pairing with a dozen of us and you didn't feel that star connection.” She said, finding the courage to look up at him.

His vigorous rubbing of his hair stopped for a moment before he peaked out from underneath the towel, “Star connection?”

The girl nodded, “Mmhmm... Your star sign. You're a Cancer aren't you?” Her cheeks likely started to flush.

Shintarō nodded, “Y-Yes... Are you saying that the star signs actually manifest with the Angelika?”

The girl nodded, “For the Razor-wings, yes, because they have to operate so closely with their partner. We're considered heavenly bodies in a way. What Humans call angels, but we aren't divine, or anything. Our ancestors were believed to be born of the stars, so the star signs actually mean something to us. I'm an Aries, so we are polar opposites.” She hugged the pants tighter.

“I didn't realize. Despite that, I owe you an apology. If I had known that the star signs were a factor, I wouldn't have snapped at you so harshly.” Shintarō said, sliding the towel from his mussy hair.

“I accept, Senpai.” The girl bowed.

“Can I have my clothes?” Shintarō asked, holding his hand outfor the articles she still held.

The girl blushed even more, “Oh! I'm so s-sorry, S-Senpai! Please, take them!” She stuttered, thrusting the clothes out for him to take.

Shintarō cracked a barely visible smile, “Thank you. I'm sure I'll find my compatible match someday, but in the mean time, will you mind being my Hawk-wing for this operation?”

The girl's eyes widened, “B-B-But, S-Senpai! My sign is the exact opposite of yours!” She gulped.

“I know, but I'll need a Hawk-wing nonetheless and if we aren't going to match, might as well go for broke.” Shintarō said as he slipped his glasses back on.

The girl gulped again as her blush reached her hairline, “I... I-I... I-I-I... Yes, Senpai! I'll be honored!” She bowed.

“Alright. Now that I'm accurate, why don't we go train some more and at least get familiar.” He said with a flick of his wings to snap a few drops of water back into the lake.

The girl just nodded and smiled as she turned and skipped back to where they had been training, leaving Shintarō standing there and still dripping wet. He drew in a deep breath as his mind tumbled a bit, knowing that he was actually driven to find his compatible match, but where to start looking, he didn't know. He had spent time with each Hawk-wing in the encampment and none of them felt quite right. None of them filled that roll of trusting them so completely that he would allow them to guide him with his eyes closed. That one match was still out of his reach and somewhere, if at all, there was one who could fill that roll.

 _Where are you? Help me find you._ He thought before starting back to resume his training.

* * *

 

_**Ryōta: That was awesome, Midorimacchi!** _

_**Shintarō: (Pushes up glasses) Shut up, Kise. I was just doing my job.** _

_**Ryōta: But you did awesome! I was convinced you were actually in pain when Kiyoshicchi cracked your back!** _

_**Shintarō: I was actually in pain! He's stronger than he looks!** _

_**Teppei: (Claps hand down on back) Oh! You complain too much, Midorima! Ready for the next episode?** _

_**Shintarō: (Starts to blush) Y-Yes!... W-Well, as ready as I can be.** _

_**Teppei: It'll be great. The fangirls and fanboys out there are gonna love it.** _

_**Ryōta: I'm already shipping it.** _

_**Shintarō: Shut up, Kise!** _

 


	7. Episode 7

**Episode 7**

 

Today was the day. Their heavily planned operation to assault the scheduled trucks was to happen in only a few hours, and for the boys, all of them, they were nervous.

It had been a long three weeks, but day by day, they had gotten comfortable with their abilities. They had trained hard in the arena, learning to fight and battle against not just Tatsuya Himuro, but Teppei Kiyoshi as well and between the two, they weren't sure which was better. Himuro's hits weren't hard per say, but they were lightning fast, but Teppei hit like a train and could knock the wind from their lungs while they still stood on their feet. Neither were fun to fend off, but slowly and surely, they were getting the hang of it.

Now, all seven found themselves in the operations tent with not just Riko, Teppei and Himuro, but with Commander Kagetora Aida as well and all of them stood around the map table that showed the desert valley with The Farm right in the middle.

“This is the only road coming and going from The Farm, so the trucks will be easy to spot from the air.” Kagetora said, running a finger along the projected red line that squiggled its way across the paper map.

“It's dry enough outside. Just look for the dust cloud.” Daiki scoffed, crossing his arms.

“He's right.” Riko said with an innocent shrug.

“Can't we use that to our advantage? Help shroud our presence?” Seijūrō asked, resting his hands down on the edge of the table.

“It's possible, but one shift in the wind and we'd be out of luck. I'd rather not solely rely on it if at all possible.” Kagetora said, leaning heavily on his hands.

“What about if we approach from the sun. Put the sun at our backs.” Tetsuya said, tapping the map in the location of where the sun would be at the predetermined time.

“That's a good idea.” Kagetora said with a curt nod.

“What about those d-proxies in their perimeter line?” Ryōta asked, gripping his upper arm.

“We'll have to hit the convoy before it breaks through the line. Otherwise, we'll alert The Farm that we're there and then we're screwed.” Riko said, drawing in a deep breath as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

“Do we have the codes for the lock on the doors?” Teppei asked, standing tall and with his arms crossed, much like they all were.

“Yes. Hyūga forwarded them to us last week. He and his guys need to lay low for a bit though. He said something about a higher up coming in to inspect the facilities.” Kagetora said as he slid a tablet across the table towards Teppei.

“Good... He needs to lay low for a bit.” Riko said with a crinkle forming in her brow, as well as Teppei's that she didn't see.

“We've got all the info we need for this. It should be nice and easy so long as everyone knows their job.” Kagetora said, looking around the table.

“Atsushi and I will nail the convoy Humvees. Between the two of us, they'll be smoke in one pass.” Teppei said, sending a curt nod to Atsushi whom returned it.

“I'll blitz in and knock out the guards on the motorcycles.” Daiki said, flicking his hand up.

“Sniper Squad will disable the trucks the moment the Titans flip the Humvees.” Shintarō said, pushing up his glasses.

“I'll copy the handprints of the truck drivers so we can gain access to the keypad in the back of the trucks.” Ryōta said, interlacing his fingers behind his head.

“Good... Keep going.” Kagetora nodded as he stood up straight.

“Kuroko and I will provide high altitude observation to make sure The Farm doesn't surprise us.” Taiga added in, offering a fist for Tetsuya to bump that he did with his own.

“Excellent. Once the trucks are open, the rest of us will swoop in, get the cargo out and get out of there as fast as possible. If all goes well, this should be nothing more than a smash and grab.” Kagetora said, drawing in a deep breath.

“What about me?” Seijūrō asked, standing opposite of Kagetora on the other side of the map table.

“I'm sorry, but with you being our only Emperor clan, you're too valuable to put in harms way. If The Farm were to get ahold of you, it would be a bad day for everybody.” Kagetora said.

“So I'm to wait here?” Seijūrō asked, his eyes flat and expressionless.

Kagetora nodded, “Yes... And don't go trying anything funny. You know as well as anyone here that you need to be kept back from the front lines.”

Seijūrō lightly frowned, “Very well.” He said, crossing his arms.

“Commander Aida... We just picked up the trucks rounding Switcher's Pass. It'll break through the proxy line in thirty minutes.” Called an Angelika whom was watching a radar screen.

“Roger that. We know our jobs. Everyone get ready.” Kagetora said.

The group turned and left the tent, with all going their separate ways to prepare for the fast approaching operation. Atsushi, Teppei and Himuro went to equip protective pads, while Taiga helped Tetsuya shrug into a vest with a small oxygen tank strapped to his back. Shintarō and the small Hawk-wing girl whom he had come to know as Lily rallied the rest of the Razor-wing and Hawk-wing pairs, totaling a small squad of six. Daiki had stopped at the infirmary tent to see Wakamatsu in order to get any last minute instruction, but for Ryōta, whom didn't need to outfit with anything besides clothes, was surprised to find Yukio Kasamatsu standing in front of his tent, strapping on a pair of pistols to his thighs.

“Kasamatsu-Senpai? You're coming?” Ryōta asked, his golden eyes a bit wide.

“Normally, no, I wouldn't be, but since this is your first op, I need to see how you do.” Kasamatsu said in a flat tone, not even looking up from adjusting the holster straps.

“Oh... Is it because you don't trust me?” Ryōta asked, picking at his fingernails a bit in front of him.

“It's not that, it's just that you've only had three weeks to learn how to copy someone's handprint. We're lucky the lock on the door isn't equipped with a retinal scanner.” Kasamatsu said, buckling the last strap before looking up at the golden blonde.

“And what if our info is wrong and it does?” Ryōta asked, drawing in a deep breath to ease the tiny flips in his stomach from nerves.

“Then drag the driver over... Unless you think you can do it.” Kasamatsu said as he slipped a combat knife into its sheath against the small of his back.

Ryōta half shrugged, “I might if it comes down to that.”

“Try, but don't force it. I've seen what happens to a Golden-wing who tries to force it.” Kasamatsu said, finishing with his gear and placing his hands on his hips.

Ryōta gulped, “Yeah... I don't want that. I rather like my eyes thank you.” He shuttered.

“No shit... Just don't think about it and breathe. Only think about what you have to do, not the whole operation. You'll end up psyching yourself out otherwise.” Kasamatsu said, picking up a black nylon vest from the log stool.

Ryōta watched as Kasamatsu walked towards him and slung the straps of the vest over his shoulders before stepping behind him and zipping the back.

“I'll try not to. Think we can do this?” Ryōta asked, lifting his arms just enough so Kasamatsu had enough space to buckle the side straps of the vest around his trunk.

“No... I think you can. I trust Himuro and Kiyoshi and all the others to fulfill their roles. Just worry about yours.” Kasamatsu said, yanking down a bit on the straps to tighten the vest around Ryōta's torso.

Ryōta nodded as Kasamatsu finished strapping the vest around him, tightening it down so it was snug against his form before tugging up a curled cord and handing him the earpiece.

“Put that in.” Kasamatsu said with firm pats to his shoulders.

Again, Ryōta nodded as he slipped the earpiece into his ear, “We'll be in contact with each other?”

“Of course. Kagami and Kuroko will relay anything and everything they see, so listen carefully to whatever they say. They're our early warning system.” Kasamatsu said, his black wings frilling and shaking as he crackled his knuckles.

“I've got it. I guess we should head to the falls. We'll be taking off soon.” Ryōta said, finishing with his earpiece and tugging his vest down a bit.

With just a nod, Kasamatsu grabbed a small device that was black and fit into a pouch on his vest before both started for the ridge where the others were marching up, all wearing similar black nylon vests. The cavern echoed with the sound of metal footsteps as they all climbed, and the temperature cooled the closer they got to the thundering falls. They could feel the tiny flecks of water spray against their skin as they grouped up in front of Kagetora, Riko and Teppei whom stood with the falls to their backs.

“Good. We're all here. There's no more time to wait. We've got five minutes to reach the convoy and stop it, so lets go.” Kagetora said bluntly, dropping his arms to his side.

As Kagetora turned and spread his wings, both Riko and Teppei blasted through the falls, closely followed by the boys and the rest of the group before he could even take to wing. He was the last to splash through the falls and climb into the sky and with every beat of his eagle like wings, he saw the group form up.

They all climbed high into the air with Taiga and Tetsuya climbing higher and faster than all the others. The wind rushed by them with each powerful downbeat of their wings, and as the air thinned with each push, Tetsuya slipped his oxygen mask over his face.

 _“Altitude?”_ He asked, the word somewhat muffled because of the mask.

 _“10,000 and climbing fast. We aren't stopping until 25,000 feet. How's that wing?”_ Taiga's voice asked, his hands gripping the firm handles between Tetsuya's wings to help him climb.

 _“Fine... Just don't let go, or I'll drop.”_ Tetsuya said, just concentrating on beating his wings evenly while Taiga climbed ever higher.

 _“I'm not gonna let you go. Sheesh, Tetsu... Who do you think I am?”_ Taiga snickered, his wings lifting them so high that the air felt nearly nonexistent around them.

_“That's exactly what I'm worried about.”_

_“Oi! I should let you go just for that!”_ Taiga snarked as his wing beats began to slow.

Tetsuya lightly laughed as their assent slowed, affording him a chance to look at the impeccable view. Without a single cloud in the sky, his eyes could see so far and so wide that the air itself appeared white and crisp. The earth far, far below seemed a world away, in and of itself and from horizon to horizon, he could see everything.

 _“Wow... It's so quiet up here.”_ Tetsuya said almost too soft for the mic to pick up.

 _“Then you go talking.”_ Taiga said with a firm snark in his tone.

Tetsuya laughed a little more as he tapped the side of his mask, where his vision was instantly changed from a clear view, to a view with a heads up display. It displayed their astonishing altitude of 25,000 exactly, the position of the sun and how much his view was magnified. It was a tactical display and as he scanned the ground, he tapped a few more times to zoom in.

 _“Have the base on viewer. All's quiet.”_ Tetsuya said, zooming out one level to get a slightly wider view.

 _“Roger that. We're in position on the eastern ridge. The convoy's in sight.”_ Came Kagetora's voice in his ear.

Taiga's eyes barely narrowed as he tapped the side of his goggles, zooming it towards the East to see everyone huddled down on the ledge of the cliff with their wings tight against their backs. They watched the distant plume of dust as the trucks trundled down the road, being large box trucks that were dark gray and angry. Their tire were massive and kicked up dirt as if they were just spinning and right on the side was stamped with a five pointed star with a set of plain black wings.

“There's the trucks.” Kagetora said, his eyes narrowing and his brows drawing down.

“Two Humvees up front with two motorcycle escorts in back. Standard guarding for a shipment.” Teppei said, never taking his eyes off the twin Humvees driving parallel to each other, kicking up just as much dust as the trucks.

“I can take out both those bikers at the same time.” Daiki said, his mouth curling up into a smirk on one side.

“Don't kill. Just knock them out, Aomine.” Kagetora said stiffly.

“I won't.” Daiki scoffed and rolled his eyes.

 _“2,000 feet to the proxy line. Now's the time.”_ Tetsuya's voice said in all their ears.

With the sun at their backs, Teppei's arms bulged as they pulled his whole form over the side of the cliff, spreading his wings as he dropped with Atsushi right by his side.

 _“Broadside them.”_ Teppei's voice growled hard as the wind roared by their heads.

Atsushi's brows furrowed hard as he grit his teeth together, tucking his wings close to his body as they dove. The ground rushed for them, but with a wide spread of their wings, they pulled up and poured on the speed.

The two Titans' wings beat down hard as they rushed for the convoy, but as they drew in, completely on course to intercept the twin Humvees, Atsushi's wings bristled as the feathers turned to silver metal.

At the last second, Teppei pulled up to zing over the top of the Humvees, but Atsushi plowed like a train into the side of the left one, his right wing arced in front of him to act as a plow. The whole driver's side of the Humvee buckled in as it was forced into the side of its twin, skidding both off the road where they were flipped by Teppei's incredible strength.

It was in that instant, that four massive booms shattered the sounds of crushing metal, as the trucks' tires blew out, having been punctured by a dozen razor feathers that shredded the rubber like flesh.

The Humvees taken out, Atsushi and Teppei shifted their gazes to the rear guards, whom were in the process of skidding their bikes to a grinding halt. Their feathers bristled as their muscles tensed, readying themselves to attack, but with the blinding streak of dark blue that had no shape, no form, the two guards hit the ground hard and stayed.

 _“Oh! Damn, Aomine! That was a bit hard!”_ Teppei cringed, watching the blue streak slow to take on the form of Daiki.

 _“They're alive. Relax.”_ Daiki scoffed.

Before anything could be said, the driver of the trucks screamed as Himuro and Kasamatsu forcefully pulled them out, with the rest of the group landing behind them. They flailed against their stronger grasp, but had no hope of getting free as their legs were tied and hands cuffed behind their backs.

“No! Please! Don't kill me!” The driver of the front truck begged, his voice betraying that he was young.

“What unlocks the keypad? Tell us, now!” Himuro snapped, clenching two hard fistfuls of the guard's uniform to shake him.

“It's v-voice controlled!” The guard stuttered, his young voice cracking with his terror.

“Voice controlled? Not handprint?” Kasamatsu asked, his teeth clenched hard as he glared.

All the guards did was shaking their heads.

“Start talking!” Kasamatsu ordered of the other driver.

“I-I-I... I don't know what to say! What do you want me to say?” The guard shook.

With a growl, Ryōta pushed Kasamatsu aside and forcefully pulled the guard's helmet off, revealing a young man no older than twenty years old. He had tanned skin, but pale green eyes and his head was shaven, only being shaded with a light shadow of black hair.

“I don't care if you beg for your life, but start talking!” Ryōta growled, tightly gripping both sides of the guard's jaw.

As the guard's pale green eyes set on Ryōta, they shot wide as they started to shake and the guard's voice started to spill.

“Oh my god! It's a Golden-wing! You're supposed to be near extinct!” The guard yelped, weakly trying to wrest his freedom again.

“Keep talking!” Ryōta ordered.

“Please! I'll say whatever you want, just don't kill me! Please!” The guard howled, his eyes starting to fill with tears.

“What's the code word to open the panel?” Ryōta spat, his thumbs trailing beneath the guards eyes to rid them of tears.

“Star 575!” The guard hiccuped, his voice cracking even more.

“Good enough.” Ryōta said as he stood.

All Ryōta did was watch as Himuro's fist came down on the guard's face, knocking him clean out with a hard punch that made the poor kid's nose bleed. He heard enough from the guard, had heard how he slightly rolled his R's, elongated his vowels just that fraction too long. He could do it, as he had heard enough and as he came under everyone's gaze, he started to smile.

“Star 575... Shouldn't be too hard.” Ryōta said, his voice no longer his own, but rather that of the guard's.

“Outstanding.” Kasamatsu said with a crooked grin.

Ryōta stepped over the guard and headed for the back of the second truck, running his hand over its slightly rough sides with everyone on the ground close behind. He glanced up to his right to see Shintarō and his small squad hovering nearby, the tiny glints of razors sparkling amongst the emerald of his natural feathers. He felt safe under his protective watch and as he approached the back of the truck, he spotted the small box with a steady red light right in the middle.

“Star 575.” Ryōta said smoothly and perfectly.

The red light flashed to green as the sliding panel popped open, revealing a nine digit keypad.

“Code is 957365.” Kasamatsu said, reading off a small digital readout strapped to his wrist.

Before Ryōta could punch in the code, Himuro coaxed him aside and did it himself, punching it in fast and without trouble with the Titans behind him. Atsushi's wings shimmered silver, his feathers metal and singing against each other with each movement his massive wings made. There wasn't a scratch on them from the devastating hit and both he and Teppei were ready.

A small beep emanated from the keypad before heavy bolts clunked open, unlocking the door to the back of the truck. It began to slide up where the group stepped back so they didn't crowd those inside, but the further the door slid up, the more they realized that what was inside wasn't what they where expecting.

“Trap!” Himuro howled as he pulled his twin pistols from their thigh holsters.

Twenty soldiers poured from the back of the truck, all armed and taking aim, but the group reacted far faster than the Humans could have ever predicted. The second their rifles erupted, Atsushi darted in front of the group, spreading his wings to deflect each and every dart. They zinged in every direction, some even hitting the guards themselves, and his quick action gave the group time to take to wing just as the back of the front truck burst open with twenty more guards.

 _“Fly! Go!”_ Riko's voice thundered almost too loudly, her wings raising her into the air as fast as they could carry her lithe form.

 _“By them time to escape! Fire at will!”_ Shintarō barked harshly as his squad unleashed a massive barrage of razor feathers.

Teppei spun and swept his wings to knock several guards to the ground before forcing his wings down, lifting off the ground just behind the group, but with each beat, dozens of those very razors flew by his head. He made no effort to dodge them, instead continuing to protect the group by deflecting more and more darts, but with the need to beat his wings to continue to climb, one dart zinged passed his knee.

His eyes wide, it was almost like time had stopped as he tracked the dart, but even if he forced his wings down with as much power as he could muscle up, there was nothing he could do.

“Midorima! Look out!” Teppei screamed, spinning into a hard roll to block an incoming barrage of darts from hitting the others while Atsushi blocked another.

There was no time for Shintarō to react as the dart thunked into his chest, instantly delivering the drug into his bloodstream. His eyes were wide as the drug near immediately started to take effect, weighing down his limbs, his wings, making his hearing fuzzy and his sight blurry. There was nothing he could do as he started to fall towards the ground.

 _“Hang on, Midorima!”_ Teppei's voice said into his muddled ears.

“G-Go... F-Fly... You s-stay, you g-get captured t-to.” Shintarō said, his voice lazy and almost sounding as if it wasn't his.

 _“Shintarō! We're coming!”_ Daiki's voice howled.

His eyes were so blurry that he couldn't make out any definite forms, only shapes that somewhat resembled the others in their desperate flight to get away. He continued to fall back first towards the ground and with the last of himself, he gave his final order.

_“D-Daiki... R-Run.”_

Daiki spread his wings to stall his dive just as Shintarō fell into a parachute the guards held out to catch him with. It was too late, and with the others already flying away, putting as much distance between them and the guards, he was alone against forty guards with his desperation to save his brother.

“Shin... Shin!” Daiki screamed.

 _“The base is going up! Choppers are getting ready to lift off! We go now, or we're done!”_ Taiga's voice called loudly into his ear.

“Shin's down! We can't leave him!” Daiki hissed, his brows furrowed hard as he watched the guards load Shintarō into the back of the truck whose tires had reinflated with just the flip of a switch from inside the cab.

 _“There's no time, Ahomine! Fly your ass off!”_ Taiga hissed.

Daiki's throat roared with rage and when he was about to dive down to try anything to rescue his brother, a hand firmly grabbed his arm and started dragging him back.

“We don't have time, Aomine! We'll get him back, but come on! We have to regroup!” Teppei screamed at him, pulling Daiki away from the trucks.

Daiki's eyes stung with not only rage, but with despair as he watched Shintarō being bound, his wings tied far too tightly and wrists cuffed behind his back. His heart ached the more he watched, so with a hard squeezing of his eyes, he looked away and started to fly on his own.

Not a single word was said as they all flew back, going high and as far away from the ground as they could until the waterfall came into their view far below. They dove hard until they were only feet off the lake where they stormed for the waterfall's base, not even slowing until they burst through the water and skidded to a landing in the sand.

“Goddammit! Son of a bitch!” Kagetora hissed angrily, clawing his fingers in his hair.

“What the fuck happened? I thought that was supposed to be a shipment of Breeders!” Kasamatsu barked, hanging his head as his hands gripped his hips.

“We have to go back for Midorimacchi! We can't just leave him! We have to go get him!” Ryōta near screamed in his own voice, his eyes pouring tears as he cupped his hands over his mouth.

“We can't! They were waiting for us and if we stuck around, we would have lost more!” Kagetora snapped, angrily snatching up a fistful of Ryōta's tactical vest.

“Get your fucking hands off him!” Taiga boomed, forcing Kagetora to let go before wrapping his brother up in his arms to let him cry.

“What the hell happened, Commander? That was supposed to be just a transport.” Himuro asked, holstering his twin pistols and heaving his breath in and out.

“That's what we all thought-” Kagetora was interrupted.

“This is what happens when you put faith in Humans-”

Teppei's words were instantly cut off when a resounding slap smashed across his face by a petite hand, instantly reddening his cheek as if he was blushing.

“Don't you even dare.” She hissed lowly before storming off.

“Riko!” Teppei tried, only to stop when Himuro grabbed his arm.

All Daiki could do was stand there, his mind stuck on seeing an unconscious Shintarō being loaded into the truck. It replayed over and over in his head and each time, his stomach lurched with bile that he only just managed to swallow down. He was content to stare at the sand at his feet until a hand came down on his arm, forcing him to look over and see Tetsuya's reddened eyes.

That was the last straw as he wrapped the much smaller boy up in his arms, where Tetsuya's sobs were muffled by his chest. He held him close as Atsushi dropped to his knees, his wings returning to lavender as if the metal was washing off and without asking, without needing to hear their words, he knew they were all broken.

“M-Mido-Chin... What're they gonna do to Mido-Chin?” Atsushi hiccuped, hunching over onto all fours with his head hung, shielded by the longer trails of his lavender hair.

“I don't know... I don't know.” Taiga said softly, cradling Ryōta's head to his shoulder as the blonde cried.

“We can't just stay here and let them do what they want with him... We have to go get him.” Daiki said, his voice deeper than normal with his emotion that he was barely keeping contained as he continued to hold Tetsuya.

“H-How? W-What can we do, Aominecchi?” Ryōta sobbed, only turning his head just enough to peak a red and swollen eye out.

All Daiki could do was shake his head, because he truly, utterly didn't know. They were at a complete loss and as the only one left flapped his bright red wings and landed without a sound beside Atsushi, they all saw it in his eyes that Seijūrō already knew.

“I should have gone.” Seijūrō said lowly, kneeling down beside Atsushi and placing his hands on his brother's large back.

“No... It was right that you stayed behind, Akashi-kun. It was a trap. They knew we were going to try for the trucks.” Tetsuya said, finally pulling away from Daiki and ridding his eyes of his tears.

“We were set up... The Humans set up a trap to lure us out.” Taiga said, managing to maintain a calm voice as he comforted Ryōta.

“They knew that Aida and everyone would come for them, but how they knew we would get the information, that remains a mystery.” Seijūrō said, swallowing hard as he swiped a tear from Atsushi's cheek.

“Their contact... This Hyūga guy they know... He's in trouble.” Taiga said as they all regarded each other with worry filling their eyes for not just Shintarō, but now, the Human known as Junpei Hyūga.

* * *

 

The encampment was watching him like he was storming around completely naked, but none would dare say a word to him. None of their eyes were amused, but rather, filled with dread as Teppei stormed by, making his way towards a small tent in the back of the encampment. He knew she would be there, and he was just as desperate to find her as he was to help Shintarō Midorima. Every fiber of his being, every feather wanted to save him so badly, but the only thing he could do in that very moment, was fix things with Riko Aida.

He stopped in front of her tent, but instead of just walking in, he stood in front of its closed flaps and just breathed. His heart was still racing and none of his breaths seemed to be enough to sate the smoke in his lungs, but despite that, he swept aside the flaps and stepped inside.

He dared not make a sound as his brown eyes set on Riko, sitting on the edge of her bed and sobbing into her hands. She didn't even bother to look up as he stepped closer to her, taking it slow so not to invoke her rage, but her quiet sobs, how her shoulders hopped with each one, caused his heart to ache all that much more.

“Riko.” He exhaled, her name nearly lost on his own breath as he slowly knelt down in front of her so he could see her face.

Instead of looking up, she continued to sob into her hands, the soft sounds muffled and drowned by her palms. He wanted to see her face, her reddened eyes, so holding his breath, he reached up and ultra softly grasped her hands.

“Riko... Please.” He whispered.

“D-Do you have any idea what they'll do to him, Teppei?” She asked, her voice cracking with every word she uttered.

Teppei forced himself to breath as his fingers curled around her small hands, “I do.”

“T-Then we have to go get him now, Teppei.” Riko sobbed, still not looking up from the floor as huge tears dropped from her cheeks.

Still desperate to see her face, Teppei released her hand to hook his fingers delicately around her chin, gently coaxing her head up to reveal her crying eyes. Her cheeks were flushed from her emotion and with each breath, her sinuses crackled.

“We will, but we have to plan first, Riko. We can't just go in there guns blazing, or we risk losing more people that we can't afford.” Teppei said, his own eyes stinging at seeing her this way.

Riko sniffled hard, “We need to save them.” More tears feel.

“Them?” He nearly mouthed, brushing his thumb over her cheek to capture a few tears.

“Junpei and the others... Teppei, they're in danger. It's only a matter of time until the rest of the Humans find out and if-”

“No! Our priority is getting Midorima! Not saving your damn boyfriend!” Teppei snapped, shooting to his feet to tower over her.

“He's not my boyfriend, Teppei! You know damn well that he isn't!” Riko fired back, standing up in her own attempt to stare Teppei down.

“You could've fooled me! I've seen how he looks at you!” Teppei fired back, his fists clenching at his sides.

“And how, exactly, does Junpei look at me?” Riko hissed.

“The same way I do! Jesus, Riko! I won't go charging back into The Farm because if I lose you, I might as well go with you! They'll breed you until you drop, Riko, and who knows what else they'll do!” Teppei clenched his teeth in an attempt to keep his voice down.

“Like what?” Riko dared.

“What do you think!” Teppei's fists were so tight that his fingernails began to dig into his skin.

“And how does this pertain to saving Junpei and the others, huh?” Riko asked, stepping around him, if at all to put some distance between them.

“What if he's one of them?” Teppei said in an oddly cold and even voice.

“Fuck you, Teppei... Just go to hell. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous.” Riko said, her voice just as even and cold as she stared at him.

Teppei's teeth started to grind, “Jealous of a Human?... Maybe, but not because you seem to have this... soft spot for him. There are things that I wish I could do, but I can't because as far as the Humans are concerned, we're monsters.” His eyes glistened in the low light of her tent.

Riko's eyes never stopped shedding their tears, never slowed as she reached up and swiped them away. Despite the tears, she could see his shoulders hanging low, his eyes sad, and as her eyes shifted down to his hands, she saw his white knuckled fists loosen to the gentle hands she remembered.

“Teppei-”

“No... Please, Riko... Just hear me out. The information those Humans passed us was bad. What's to say it wasn't Hyūga who set us up?” Teppei asked, starting to shake with the thought that he had just gone too far.

Riko's bottom lip started to quiver as she shook her head, “N-No... I know Junpei wouldn't do that... I'm positive.”

“He's Human-”

“Stop it!” Riko screamed, “Just stop with this hate, Teppei! Not all Humans are bad!” Her crying started up again.

“I can't! I've seen what they do, Riko. I've seen what they're capable of. How can I just stop hating them?” Teppei asked, but his voice was low, almost pleading.

“Then how are you any different than them?” Riko asked, letting her tears scream down her cheeks.

Teppei's heart stopped. He didn't know what to say to her, but her words had stabbed him through the heart worse than any weapon ever could. Having been born in captivity, having seen what happens to the Angelika day in and day out, subjected to Human cruelty had turned him into the exact same thing. In the past, his people had boasted an infallible kindness towards anyone and everyone, but now, having been used as animals, there were no longer any differences between them.

As the first tear leaped free of his eye, Teppei finally opened his mouth and hung his head in shame.

“I-I'm sorry, Riko... I should've been faster to protect him, but I failed. I let that one dart get passed me and look what happened... Losing Midorima is my fault.” Teppei said quietly as his tears fell down his cheeks.

Riko shook her head, “I don't blame you... We'll figure this out, Teppei... This didn't happen because of Junpei, this happened because the base was trying to lure us out. Junpei's in trouble and it's not just Midorima we have to rescue, but them too... I can't do that without you, Teppei.” She said, walking closer to him to take one of his hand in hers.

Teppei sniffled and licked his lips to rid them of tears, “Forgive me, Riko... Please.” His broad chest hopped.

Holding her breath, Riko took a half step closer to him, raising her hand enough to softly cup his cheek and coax him to look at her. His eyes were so sad, so filled with tears that it looked like a little boy whom had just scraped his knee. It broke her heart to see him that way, so instead of letting him suffer alone, she would suffer with him.

“I already forgave you.”

* * *

 

He couldn't believe his eyes, couldn't believe that he was looking at those big, emerald wings that hung limp against the boy's back as the two guards struggled to hold up his weight. They tightly gripped around the boy's shoulders and just to see his unconscious face, the tall man in a pressed military uniform gripped the boy's hair and pulled his head up.

“He's so young... How old do you figure?” The man asked, sweeping his neck length wavy raven hair from his dark gray eyes as he studied the boy.

“No older than 16, General... He's ripe.” Said his lieutenant, a younger man with nearly shoulder length dead black hair and grayish brown eyes.

“I'd say so. I never thought we'd see this bloodline again. Your observation of the group whom tripped the proxy line a few weeks back was well placed, Lieutenant Hanamiya.” The man said, releasing the boy's head to let it fall back down towards the floor.

“Thank you, General Harasawa. What would you like done with him?” Lieutenant Hanamiya asked, beginning to smirk crookedly as he dangerously eyeballed the unconscious green-haired boy.

“Take him to a harvest block.” General Harasawa said, clasping his hands behind his back.

“Shall I have one prepared?” Lieutenant Hanamiya asked, swishing his lifeless black bangs from his malicious eyes.

General Harasawa nodded, “Yes. His bloodline is unquestionably the most valuable crop we have. The financing we could get would be unfathomable.”

Lieutenant Hanamiya's grin started to widen, “Very well, General. I'll have #10 brought to him as soon as the drug wears off.”

* * *

 

_**Ryōta: I'm a shipping mess! I loved that scene between you and Aidacchi, Kiyoshicchi! It was so kawaii!** _

_**Teppei: Thank you, Kise! Well done with your part too. Seeing you angry like that was actually quite scary.** _

_**Ryōta: (Blushes) I don't like getting angry, even if I'm acting, but it really sold it I think.** _

_**Makoto: You aren't dead yet? Don't I get to kill you later in this show?** _

_**Teppei: D'aw... So quick to the punchline! You've gotta learn to tell your stories, Hanamiya.** _

_**Makoto: Two words for you. Go, and die. (Crosses arms)** _

_**Teppei: Naw... It pisses you off more if I don't.** _

_**Makoto: (Huffs and storms off)** _

_**Teppei: (Grins wide)** _

_**Taiga: What's with the smile?** _

_**Teppei: I was gonna give him a dirty look, but he already had one.** _

_**Lycanwolff: (Laughs) I love Tumblr!** _

 


	8. Episode 8

**Episode 8**

 

Every time Daiki closed his eyes, all he saw was Shintarō falling. He saw the fading look in his emerald green eyes, the fight leaving his body as he was caught in the parachute. He saw it all over and over again in his head and as such, he hadn't slept a wink that night.

The whole night, he had laid awake in his bed in his shared tent, staring at the empty bed on the other side where Shintarō should have been sleeping. He couldn't rest knowing his brother was captured, and his imagination, as sadistic at it was, kept flashing images in front of his eyes that looked more like they belonged in a horror movie. They made his stomach churn and he simply couldn't take it any longer.

Tossing aside his blanket, he sat up and scrubbed his face, wanting to rid his vision of the images his mind was showing him before rising to his feet and padding out of his tent. The encampment was quiet, the only sounds being that of the crackling fires all around and their heat licked at his skin. Under normal circumstances, he would have thought it comforting, but not that night, not in that moment. Everything around him just felt cold.

He gripped the back of his neck as he shuffled his feet through the sand, headed towards the back of the encampment where the dark lake resided. Its waters were completely still, looking more like an obsidian glass slab than water. His face felt hot from all his thinking, so as he reached the edge of the still water, he knelt down and scooped some up in his cupped hands.

The instant rush of coldness felt rejuvenating, but he mildly cringed at just how loud the small splashes sounded in the quietness of the cavern. As little a sound it would normally be, the splashes almost seemed to echo, and with each small splashing of water against his face, he felt as if he was waking up the whole encampment when in fact, he had only awoken one.

“Can't sleep either?” Taiga asked softly, startling Daiki a bit at his approach.

Daiki squeezed his eyes closed as he wiped them with his fingers, “No.”

“You're not the only one. Tetsu just got to sleep about a half hour ago.” Taiga said, sitting down on the sands beside him to dip his bare toes into the cold water.

“He cry himself to sleep?” Daiki asked, whipping the droplets from his fingers as he sat down, letting his wings trail out long behind him.

“No... Didn't have any left. Just went to sleep.” Taiga said, slowly shaking his head as he rested his arms on his raised knees.

“Tank ran dry.” Daiki said in almost a mumble.

“Yeah... Kise and Murasakibara crashed in our tent too. I had to step over them to leave.” Taiga said, huffing a barely there crooked smile.

“I kinda figured... Akashi too?” Daiki asked, dipping his toes in the water just to feel it against his skin.

“No. He stayed in his tent... Said he wanted to be alone for awhile.” Taiga said, his toes digging into the wet, soft sand a bit.

“Can't say I blame him.” Daiki said, staring off blindly at the shadows.

“You know... There's enough room for you in our tent too. You didn't have to try and sleep in yours.” Taiga said, tearing his eyes away from the lake to look at his brother.

Daiki shrugged, “I guess I wanted to be alone too.”

“It's not your fault, Aomine.” Taiga said, seeing that flash of regret streak across Daiki's navy blue eyes.

“Isn't it? I'm fast enough, Kagami. I could've gone back for him before he even hit the ground.” Daiki said, blinking his eyes to bring things back into focus as he glanced over at Taiga.

“Then we'd have two missing instead of just one, which is bad enough. You aren't the only one who loves him, Aomine. We all do. He's our brother.” Taiga said, interlocking his fingers together as he let out a long, slow sigh.

“Come to find out, we're not actually related.” Daiki scoffed, only to duck when a wing slapped into the back of his head.

“Who cares if it's not by blood. We've grown up together and we're all each other has. As far as I'm concerned, that makes us brothers.” Taiga said, fluttering his wing a bit to settle its feathers before letting it rest against the sand.

Daiki just breathed as he started to pick at his fingernails, opting to stare at the obsidian lake instead of Taiga. He was right in that they were all each other had, but right now, he didn't feel like he was being a very good brother, as a brother wouldn't have left the other behind.

“I'm scared, Kagami... I'm terrified what they're gonna do to him.” Daiki said, holding his breath to push back the growing lump in his throat.

“We all are-”

“No... No, you don't understand. You heard Aida just as well as the rest of us did. What if they cut off his wings and toss him into the Stock house?” Daiki asked, his dark blue eyes glistening with worry as he looked at Taiga.

Taiga's brows furrowed, “Stock house? Why would they toss him in there? To stud him out?”

Daiki shook his head, “You don't know what the Stock house is, but let me tell you that it's the worst of the worst.”

“You know... Don't you.” Taiga said lowly.

Daiki nodded, “He's 16, Kagami... Just like we all are which puts him right into the age bracket. Sometimes I think we would've been better off if we cut them off when we were little.” His voice cracked.

Taiga's breath caught in his throat, “D-Daiki... You don't mean that.”

“Maybe I do. If we didn't have these, maybe we could've lived normal lives... Without fear. I hate this... I hate how day in and day out we're always looking over our shoulders. I just wanna be free.” Daiki said, sucking in shaky breaths to help keep ahold of what little stability he had.

“We all do, Daiki. We aren't free, but being here... At least we're doing something to try and get it.” Taiga said, his eyes sad as he watched Daiki's distant face.

“But is it enough? What if we get to Midorima and it's too late? What happens then?” Daiki asked, softly sniffling as he wiped his eyes before they could shed a tear.

“I wish I had an answer.” Taiga near whispered.

“I have one for ya... I'll cut 'em off... I'll do it because if one of us is grounded, we might as well all be.” Daiki said, his voice cracking a bit more as he swallowed down the lump in his throat.

Taiga reeled, “Daiki... Don't talk like that. That's not gonna happen and I know it. We're the Seven Sons of the Seven Kings, Daiki. We're the last of a bloodline that was supposed to be wiped out during the war. The Humans aren't gonna destroy that.”

“How do you know?” Daiki asked plainly.

“I just do... I can't tell you how, but I just have this gut feeling.” Taiga said, daring to rest his hand on Daiki's bare shoulder.

“Yeah, but what's it telling you?” Daiki asked.

“That the stars have something else in mind.”

* * *

 

Every muscle in his body ached as if he had just flown around the globe. It thumped in time with his heartbeat, coursed through every vein, every fiber, every bone. He felt heavy, like he was filled with lead from head to toe and every breath he took was laced with anesthetic and was so dry, that his throat scratched from just the air.

Squeezing his eyes tighter for a moment to help clear the haze, Shintarō began to flutter them open. His vision was blurry, but with each blink, the fog began to clear into an empty blue steel cell whose front was comprised of thick bars. He tried to move, but the clank of chain forced him to look down at himself.

His arms were chained behind his back before and his wings where wrapped in coils of even more that painfully retched them down tight and keep him from raising them. He was suspended by a leather harness that had been chained to the ceiling, strapped around his torso to keep him upright while he was unconscious. Even his ankles where chained together, ensuring that he wasn't going anywhere, let alone going to be able to defend himself.

With a scratchy swallow, Shintarō struggled against his chains, but with the last of the drug still coursing through his system, he was far too weak to even adjust them. His wrists ached against the shackles and his arms were painfully craned behind him, jamming his shoulder blades together and making it feel as if he was wearing the binding harness again. He cringed as he struggled a bit more, but when a voice came from the bars, he froze and stared.

“Tsk... Took you long enough.” Said the man on the other side of the bars; a shorter man wearing a formal military uniform and with dead black hair and cold eyes.

“W-Who are you?” Shintarō asked, wincing at how he sounded to his own ears.

“Do you really need to ask my name, or is it true that the Angelika are too stupid to read?” The man asked with a snide tone, tapping his name tag over his right breast.

Shintarō's eyes, despite being fuzzy, shifted to the tag, but the word was blurry. He needed to push up his glasses, but there was nothing he could do with his arms bound, so he tilted his head up a bit to bring the name into focus through the lenses.

It read Hanamiya.

“How long have I been out?” Shintarō asked, his voice hoarse from disuse as he struggled a bit against the chains.

The man's throat rattled with a laugh, “Longer than expected to be honest. You got hit with a dart meant for the Titans.”

“Stronger, or more of it?” Shintarō asked, swallowing what saliva he had in an attempt to wet his throat.

“New actually. You've been unconscious for almost fourteen hours.” The man whose name was Hanamiya said, clasping his hands behind his back.

“Fourteen hours?” Shintarō gasped.

“Yes... Fourteen, long, boring hours where you just hung there, taking up space instead of being useful.” Hanamiya sneered with a roll of his eyes.

“Let me go.” Shintarō said lowly, again with another swallow to try desperately to wet his scratchy throat.

Hanamiya laughed louder, “I'm not even going to entertain an answer to that because you already know it.”

Shintarō's eyes widened, “What're you going to do to me?”

“It's no fun if I just give you all the answers. You'll find out when #10 gets here. In the meantime, I will offer you this one thing, but know that it's not out of kindness, but rather, necessity. Even cattle need to drink... Would you like some water?” The man asked, his cold, malicious eyes sending a shiver down Shintarō's spine.

With another harsh gulp that was way too scratchy, Shintarō nodded, his fists clenching weakly behind his back as he tried to adjust himself against the chains once more, but again, to no avail. Hanamiya smirked crookedly as he raised his hand and snapped his fingers, never once looking away from him with that stone cold glare. Shintarō found it difficult to look him in the eyes and despite wanting to push his glasses up, he was a bit thankful they were sitting lower on his nose to keep the man's face blurry.

A minute passed until two guards appeared from out of sight, one carrying a plain water bottle while the other, a rifle. The guard with the water pulled a keycard from his utility belt and swiped it down a reader, unlocking the heavy barred door where it started to slide open on its tracks automatically.

“Now don't try anything entertaining, or you're going down for another very long nap.” Hanamiya said coldly as the two guards stepped into the cell.

The one with the rifle stopped by the door and aimed his weapon right at Shintarō's chest while the other unscrewed the cap from the water bottle. He gulped once more as the bottle was brought to his lips and tilted up, pouring the cold, refreshing liquid down his throat. He sucked it down as fast as he could pull it from the bottle and with each washing pass, the grit in his throat rinsed off.

Too soon for his liking, the bottle was pulled away. He wanted more, was about to ask for it, but the guards were already stepping out of the cell with the rifle still aimed on him.

“That's good enough. Don't need you drowning in your sleep should what's left of the drug pull you back under. The General would be disappointed.” Hanamiya said with a scowl of disappointment distorting his evil looking features.

“You aren't going to tranq me again are you?” Shintarō asked, finally finding the strength to plant his bare feet and try to stand on his own.

“If it was up to me, I'd have my fun first like severing your wings, but the General is right when he says you're more valuable untouched. I wish we could've captured more of you, but I suppose one will have to do... for now.” Hanamiya said, his mouth continuing to smirk crookedly.

“How did you know what we were planning?” Shintarō asked, giving his head a quick shake as he tilted it up and wiggled his nose to coax his glasses back up into a proper position.

“Don't you worry about that. Your only concern, is what's coming in your immediate future.” Hanamiya said as the sound of a heavy door opening echoed from out of sight.

The guards stayed trained on him while Hanamiya looked to his left, his smirk broadening even more at what he saw. Shintarō's stomach rolled with nerves as distant voices fluttered up and despite the echo, he could make out what they were saying.

_“Is the block cleared?”_

_“Yeah. General's order. The only one here right now is that green-haired one in harvest cell 6.”_

_“I've gotta get back to block 4 and finish sanitizing it. Mind taking #10 the rest of the way?”_

_“Sure. Give me the lead.”_

_“Thanks. I owe ya.”_

_“Yeah yeah. Just buy me a beer later, or something.”_

_“Will do.”_

The heavy thunk of the door closing echoed once more, drowning out the sound of boots hitting the floor for a moment as they drew closer. Shintarō's eyes shook with rising fear, shifting from Hanamiya, to the guards and back again just for a simple distraction. The boot falls drew closer and closer and his muscles started to twitch until their source appeared in front of the cell.

“Lieutenant Hanamiya... I've got #10 here.” Said the guard, tightly gripping the rope lead in his hand.

However, Shintarō's eyes were glued to the other end of the lead that was clipped to a collar wrapped around a pale neck.

Being lead like a cow, stood an Angelika of average height, wrapped in a white robe that only fell to mid thigh. Their wings were ebony dark, trimmed with splashes of brown and freckled with a caramel tan. Their hands were bound in front with shackles, but he couldn't see their face, as their head was covered with a black hood. The only thing he could confirm for sure, was that whomever this #10 was, they were male, evident by the flat, partially exposed chest.

“Cleaned and prepped I assume?” Hanamiya asked, stepping closer to the hooded Angelika and placing his hand against his covered cheek.

At the touch, the Angelika flinched his head away, cowering almost out of fear as his covered head shied into his firm shoulders. With the lieutenant standing right next to him, Shintarō could tell that Hanamiya was noticeably taller, but not by much as he sneered at the Angelika and grabbed his collar with force.

“Yes, Sir.” The guard with the lead said.

“Good.” Hanamiya scowled.

With a hard yank, Hanamiya dragged the Angelika to the open cell door, only stopping long enough for the lead to be removed and the shackles to be unlocked. The Angelika cowered on his bare feet, afraid to lift his head until Hanamiya grabbed the black hood, planted his booted foot into his back and thrust his leg forward.

“Hey! Knock it off!” Shintarō barked, struggling against his chains in a feeble attempt to help.

The Angelika fell forward as the hood was ripped from his head, revealing a splash of raven colored hair that danced around his neck as he fell forward, bracing himself with his arms before his face could hit the floor.

“And what, exactly, are you going to do?” Hanamiya sneered, coiling the lead around his hand in tight loops.

All Shintarō could do was purse his lips together as his eyes bounced from the Angelika laying on his stomach in front of him and back up to Hanamiya. His throat growled with anger, but the malicious looking lieutenant had a point; Bound like he was, there was nothing he could do.

“That's what I thought. Have a good time.” Hanamiya sang, lowly laughing and with another snap of his fingers.

The cell door closed and locked before the guards and Lieutenant Hanamiya all left, marching down the corridor and out of sight. Without being able to move to continue watching them, Shintarō shifted his gaze back to the Angelika, whom was just staying on the floor with his face shrouded by his slightly mussed raven hair. The robe had disheveled from his fall, revealing more of the creamy skin along his thighs where he realized that the Angelika had been shaven to bare skin. It made his legs look almost feminine and as he finally started to push himself up, all he could do was hold his breath.

The Angelika pushed himself up to sit on his heels, shyly gripping his upper arm as he climbed to his feet, his legs nervously shifting together, but his head was still hung. Shintarō still couldn't see his face, but he didn't need to, to know that he was scared. He glared angrily at the orange tag in his left ear that simply read with the number 10 and it made his stomach boil that the Humans looked at them as if they were nothing more than cattle.

“I-I'm not gonna hurt you.” Shintarō said quietly, gulping nervously as he watched the Angelika tighten the robe around himself.

“T-That's what they all say.” He said, his voice loftier than his own, but still clearly male.

“What am I gonna do chained up like this?” Shintarō asked, attempting to roll his shoulders back just enough to aggravate the ache between his shoulder blades.

The Angelika didn't answer, but instead, drew in a deep breath as his hands lowered to the belt of his robe around his hips where he started to untie it.

“Whoa! Whoa whoa whoa! What're you doing?” Shintarō reeled, his eyes widening as his breath started to come short and fast with his rising anxiety.

“I'm Stock... I'm doing what I have to do.” The Angelika said, his voice distant as the belt fell loose at his sides.

“What? What you _have_ to do? What the hell are you doing? Stop undressing!” Shintarō yelped, his voice shaky.

“I have no choice.” The Angelika said, fluttering his hands up to grasp the edges of his robe.

Shintarō struggled harder against the chains, grunting as he poured every ounce of strength he had into trying to get free. His entire body shook with desperation to break out and he squeezed his eyes shut simply not to see what the Angelika was going to do.

“Don't! Please don't do this! I'm not attracted to men!” Shintarō pleaded, hanging his head as he tried even more to break free.

He couldn't see, but he could hear just fine as the shuffles of bare feet stepped closer, each one making him tense more and more, but when no touch came, his curiosity started to build. He gulped as he dared to open an eye, seeing the Angelika was frozen where he stood a few feet away, but had wrapped himself in his robe so tightly that it outlined his body. He was thin, almost feminine in his build, but still strong and significantly shorter than he. However, the most striking thing, was that he had finally looked up from the floor and was staring wide eyed at him.

He was young, no older than himself at 16 years, but his face was almost pretty. He had a sharp chin and smooth cheeks, a nose that was neither too big, nor too small. His lips were pale and full, but his eyes, his narrow eyes nearly sparkled with a slate blue hue that made them look like gems.

“You don't wanna do this either, do you.” Shintarō said, his brows furrowing a bit as he studied the scared boy.

The boy shook his head, “No... I never do. T-The Stock tend to get hurt when the Studs are in their throws. That's what happened to the old #6. He was killed when the Titan he was milking broke his neck.” The boy said, breathing out a shaky breath as he tightened his hold on the robe even more.

“Stock? Milking?... What're you talking about? What do they want you to do?” Shintarō asked, gulping again as he just tried to take in smoother breaths.

“T-To harvest you... T-To harvest the crop.” The boy said, swallowing as his eyes drew down.

“Crop-” Shintarō started, only to have his words catch thickly in his throat.

He knew in that moment what they wanted, why they had brought a rather pretty boy to his cell whom was willing to shed his robe in front of him. They wanted to milk him, to harvest his seed whether he wanted it to happen, or not. It didn't matter that he wasn't attracted to men, as that inhibition would go out the window once this boy started and it wasn't that the Humans wanted him alive, they only wanted what he could offer.

“Oh my god... They sent you in here to... to-” He couldn't finish his sentence.

The boy nodded as he crossed his arms over his chest self-consciously, “Yeah... They want as much as possible, so that's why I'm here.”

Shintarō's eyes shook right along with his head, “No... Please don't do this.”

“I don't have a choice. I'll suffer more if I don't.” The teenage boy said, his slate blue eyes glassy as he looked right at Shintarō.

“What? What do you mean?” Shintarō asked, his brows furrowed hard as his heart hammered in his chest.

“It's how they ensure we'll cooperate. The better we do, the more rewards we get. I-I... I got a bed a couple months ago.” The boy said, gripping his upper arm as he looked away.

“Oh my god... You're sex slaves.” Shintarō breathed out, having trouble taking in air through his cataclysmic shock.

The boy nodded, “Yeah... I've been Stock for six months... Stock doesn't normally make it as long as I have.” His voice was low and airy.

“Why?” Shintarō mouthed, his eyes stinging with confusion, fear and shock all rolled into one.

“Because we kill ourselves. We die a lot, but I'm too scared to... I only have to endure it a couple years anyways.” The boy said, his right eye shedding a single tear.

“Then what happens to you?” Shintarō asked.

The boy shrugged, “One of two things; I either go to the labs, or they just kill me. Either way, I die.” He lightly sniffled.

Shintatō shook his head, “No-”

“You said before you weren't attract to men... Guess what?... Neither am I, but that means nothing to the Humans. They use us to harvest the Studs because we can't get pregnant. Males can't get pregnant.” The boy said, his voice cracking as his bottom lip started to quiver.

Shintarō gulped, “What happens if you fail here?”

“Hanamiya will punish me.” The boy said in nearly a whisper.

“He'll beat you?” Shintarō asked.

This time, the boy shook his head, “No... He'll just take everything I've earned away and make me work until I can't take it anymore. He knows how much I hate this.”

Shintarō's mind was reeling, being torn in every fathomable direction known to time and space. It was so muddled by what he was hearing that it was impossible to even think about what he was going to do next. He was chained in a cell with no way to get free, and his only hope of doing so was a scared boy whom had spent six months having his body used in whatever way was necessary to keep from being punished. His heart ached with each thought, his breath seemingly stale despite the highly regulated atmosphere. A part of him wanted to throw up, but the other part, wanted to help this scared boy and just take him away from his fate.

“Listen to me... Let me go and we'll run. We'll get out of here and I'll take you to my friends. We can help you, but you need to undo these chains.” Shintarō said, fighting with the chains with the false hope that they would magically fall free on their own.

“I-I can't... You don't now how cruel Hanamiya can be.” The boy said, clutching his robe around him all the way to his collared neck.

“It won't matter because as soon as my wings are free, we have the advantage. I'm a Razor-wing.” Shintarō said.

The boy's lips parted with an airy gasp as his slate blue eyes widened with his realization. He was stock still, not even his raven hair moved as he scanned over the green-haired boy chained in front of him with emerald wings bound. He had seen countless Razor-wings before, had been ordered to milk a lot of them, but this one, this one was different. This one had truth in his eyes and it was a truth he had never seen before.

“I should've known... I can usually tell, but I've never seen a Razor-wing with your wings before.” The boy said softly, taking a single step back away from him.

“You're a Hawk-wing... aren't you.” Shintarō exhaled, unable to close his mouth from the sheer amount of shock.

The boy nodded, “I am.”

“Then you know... Together, we can get out of here.” Shintarō said, managing to hold the boy's gaze for longer than a fleeting second.

“That's not necessarily true. There's no guarantee we'll be compatible.” The boy said, his eyes relaxing as he tied the belt of his robe back around his hips.

“It won't matter... I've been partnering with incompatible Hawk-wings for weeks. We'll be fine enough to get out of here... So please.” Shintarō said, softening his eyes until they were sincere and kind to the scared boy.

The boy started to shake his head, “We can't... If I even try to unchain you, they'll come and we'll both suffer. Why do that if it can just be me who does. You're the only one who's gonna enjoy this anyways.”

“That's bullshit... I'm not gonna enjoy this no matter how good you think you are. I'm not attracted to you-”

“And I've told you it won't matter. Instinct takes over once you start enjoying it... It always does.” The boy interrupted as he averted his eyes.

“Please... Just listen to me... I don't want this and neither do you. We aren't livestock; We're people and this isn't right. If I knew your name, I'd say it just to help get my point across, but please... Just... Just trust me.” Shintarō said, his voice filled with his desperation to be unchained.

The boy huffed a sad, disbelieving smile, “I haven't said my name in all this time. The Studs never ask anyways. They don't wanna know. To them, I'm just Stock #10.” He said, swiping the back of his hand over his smooth cheek to rid it of a stalled tear.

Shintarō's brows furrowed, “We'll start there then... Tell me you name.”

“I told you. It's Stock #10.” The boy said, his slate blue eyes narrowing as he matched Shintarō's gaze.

“No, it's not. That's not your real name. That's what the Humans call you to take away who you are. You still remember what it is because you're desperate to hear it, so tell me what it is. What's your name?” Shintarō said, slowly shaking his head as he continued to look at the trembling boy in front of him.

“S-Stock-”

“Stop!... I won't let you say it... Not anymore. I'm Shintarō Midorima, now tell me... What's your name?” Shintarō asked again, his voice calm to help ease the boy into saying his real name.

“S-S-Sto-” Again, the boy tried, but he was cut off.

“No. You aren't Stock #10. What's your name?” Shintarō asked bluntly.

The boy couldn't look into his eyes any longer, so instead, he hung his head to let the few strands of raven hair hang in front of his face. His slate blue eyes stung so badly, that he wanted to gouge them out just to be rid of it, but his fingers were trembling so much that just clutching his robe around him took effort. None of the others in the past had begged him to set them free before, as they were all too far gone to care. All they wanted, no matter their orientation, was attention and he had spent six long, agonizing, demeaning and hellish months being their toy.

This one however, this Shintarō Midorima, he wasn't like them. He still had his pride, his honor; A far cry from all the others. He attempted to stand tall despite his chains, and his emerald eyes still sparkled. He hadn't given up.

“Please... Tell me your real name.” Shintarō's voice broke the tense silence.

At the repeated question, the boy finally looked up from the floor, his eyes reddened from emotion and his lips quivering as tears slicked over them.

“K-K-” he stuttered and sucked in a breath, “K-Kazunari T-Takao.” He finally said, tightening the robe around himself as a huge wave of insecurity washed over him.

Shintarō finally started to breathe again as his heart thumped with relief, sucking in a huge, lung filling breath that made him stand up straighter, which caused his muscles to ache.

“Hi.” Shintarō exhaled, lightly gulped as his shoulders started to relax.

“H-Hi.” Takao whispered, but looked away.

“Takao... I'm telling you the truth. I was captured fourteen hours ago when we tried raiding a transport convoy. It turned out to be a trap and I got hit because I wasn't far away.” Shintarō said, forcing himself to keep his voice calm to help ease Takao's clear nerves.

“Because you don't have a compatible Hawk-wing.” Takao said, his slate blue eyes flicking up to meet Shintarō's.

“Exactly... But I couldn't sit it out because I can't sit back and see my people abused like this and knowing they're using you as... as-” The words caught in his throat.

“Sperm catchers.” Takao filled in.

Shintarō cringed, “I can't stomach it. Please, Takao... Unchain me and you won't have to do this anymore.” He said, just watching as Takao's knuckles turned white with how hard he was clutching the robe around himself.

Takao's heart was racing, “I-I'm scared.” His voice came out in only a whisper.

“I am to, but I won't let you do this, Takao. I can't and I won't.” Shintarō said, giving up on trying to wrest the chains loose by himself.

“You keep saying my name.” Takao whispered, trying not to shake.

“Because you need to hear it. You aren't a tool; You're a person and a Hawk-wing at that. Others may not see it, but to a Razor-wing, it carries a potential for finding a partner.” Shintarō said, ignoring the slight bead of sweat that crawled down his temple.

“T-Then you know how hard it is.” Takao said, his eyes shedding more tears as he gulped passed the lump that had caught on his Adam's apple.

Shintarō nodded, “Believe me... I know, Takao.”

With another gulp, Takao finally willed a step forward, loosening his grip on his robe to let the hem fall open just enough to show his collarbone. His now free hand clutched the bottom of his robe closed as he took another step, but stopped when he was a pair of steps away, holding Shintarō's gaze the entire time.

“W-Where will we go?” Takao whispered, his bottom lip quivering as he slicked his tongue over his lips to wet them.

“Back to the resistance. You'll be safe there.” Shintarō said just as quietly.

Takao opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn't make his voice work, as it was trapped between the lump and his Adam's apple. Tears streamed down his face to drop from his jaw, silently patting down onto the white robe which was the only thing keeping him decent in front of the green-haired boy with large emerald colored wings. He wanted what this boy was promising, but he was so scared that his mind was frozen solid. He was teetering on the edge and he didn't know what to do.

“Unchain me, and I promise that you'll have a bed.” Shintarō added, still in his low whisper.

There was no more that Takao could take as his eyes overflowed, pouring huge, unstoppable tears that left behind burning hot lines that reflected the light from overhead. His heart raced and ached, his mind flashed with the very thought of not having to be scared anymore. He wanted it, and he hadn't known how much he wanted it until he was standing there being offered a chance. He was still scared, but he had reached his limit and despite that fear, he was going to fight.

“I-I can't just unchain you. It won't buy us enough time to undo the locks before they get here.” Takao whispered, his voice steadying as his eyes locked with Shintarō's and took a half step forward.

“Are they watching us?” Shintarō asked, his voice not getting higher than a whisper out of fear that they were also listening.

Takao nodded shallowly, “Yes... But they can't hear us. They didn't wanna listen in to what usually goes on in here.” Again, another half step, bringing him within a single step of Shintarō.

Shintarō drew in a long breath through his nose, “So what do you suggest?”

“Depends on how much you trust me.” Takao said, letting his hands drop to his sides where the robe fell open all the way to his navel.

“Trusting each other is the only chance we've got.” Shintarō said, closing his eyes for a second longer than normal as he sucked on his own lips with nerves.

“How uncomfortable are you with having another man touch you?” Takao asked, his muscles quivering now with nerves, rather than fear as he looked up to meet the emerald eyes looking down at him.

“I'd rather not.” Shintarō said.

“Considering I'm supposed to be letting you fuck me silly right now, it'll buy us some extra time if they think that's what's happening.” Takao said, daring to take one more half step which forced him to tilt his head up even more in order to maintain eye contact from Shintarō's greater height.

Shintarō gulped, “I'm not having sex with you.” He said flatly.

“I'm not asking you to... I'm just asking for a kiss.” Takao said, holding his gaze as he began to flutter his hands up Shintarō's chest, causing every muscle to twitch beneath his fingertips.

“W-Why?” Shintarō mouthed.

“To let my arms get behind you. The lock triggers are behind your back and down your spine. Your wings are big enough to block the camera, so they won't know until the chains drop free.” Takao said, still whispering as he stepped in that last half step to bring their bodies together.

At the contact, Shintarō stood up as straight as the chains would allow, every muscle twitching as he stared down at the drastically shorter boy. If they were going to break free, then they needed a plan that afforded them every single second they could muster. One second off could spell failure, so their best bet, was to try a fake.

Licking his lips, Shintarō nodded, “I'll follow your lead.”

Gulping, Takao rose onto his toes, pressing himself further against Shintarō's larger body for support as he reached up with his right hand and fluttered it up to grip the nape of his neck. His green locks tickled over his skin like silken strands as his fingers laced through them, gently tugging Shintarō down until there was only an inch between them.

“Can I ask one last thing?” Shintarō asked, his breath falling like snow over Takao's face.

“It almost sounds like you're stalling.” Takao said just as softly, drifting his other hand up to lace his fingers into more green hair.

“Maybe, but... I wanna know the answer.” Shintarō said, feeling Takao's heart thunder in his chest against his own as he pressed into him further.

“Then ask.” Takao breathed, stretching his neck up just a bit more until their lips were so close, that he could feel their heat.

“What's your sign?” Shintarō asked, lowering his head as his eyes half lidded themselves.

“Scorpio.”

The moment Shintarō's eyes closed, their lips touched, almost too soft for it to be felt through the heat. Takao's lips were so soft, almost like satin and so plump that they molded to the contours of his own. He sucked in a breath as he pressed a little harder against Takao's lips, smelling the soft scented shampoo from his hair and it told him that he had been bathed before being brought as a sacrificial lamb. He had to admit that it smelt nice as Takao deepened their kiss while his hands danced around his neck, sending shivers down his spine that erupted a layer of gooseflesh over every inch of skin whether it was exposed, or not.

Their kiss was motionless until Shintarō felt the searing heat of Takao's tongue slicking over his bottom lip in slow strokes, causing his throat to rumble with such a deep vibrato, that it was almost too low to be heard by their ears.

“Make them believe it.” Takao whispered against his lips before his tongue made another pass over his lips.

Without even a nod, Shintarō opened his mouth, accepting the invitation as his tongue jutted out in greeting. The heat was so intense that he felt like he was melting and a thin layer of saliva spread over their lips the more their tongues splashed. His mind was getting muddled by what he was doing, wanting it to be wrong, but the warmth was overriding his thoughts.

He was almost too far gone, teetering dangerously close to the edge of forgetting their whole plan, but when his ears heard the subtle click from behind his back, his eyes popped open to meet slate blue.

“Game time.”

* * *

 

_**Ryōta: Kawaii! That was better than I could've ever dreamed! I ship it!** _

_**Taiga: I ship it!** _

_**Daiki: I ship that shit!** _

_**Atsushi: I'm shipping.** _

_**Seijūrō: Shipping.** _

_**Tetsuya: Don't mind me while I go get my shipping popcorn to enjoy the shipping show.** _

_**Shintarō: (Blushing furiously) You can all go to hell!** _

_**Takao: Shin-Chan! I'm finally on! I can't wait for the next episode!** _

_**Shintarō: (Still blushing) Shut it, Takao!** _

_**Lycanwolff: God, I'm shipping this so much. I'm a bad person.** _

_**Takao: Nonsense! We love you, Lycan-Chan! (Glomps and hugs)** _

_**Shintarō: (Pushes up glasses) I only did it because you paid me to!** _

_**Daiki: Gay for pay. I get it. It's simple.** _

_**Shintarō: Go die!** _

_**Lycanwolff: (Wraps arms around Shintarō's neck for a big hug) Thank you, Shintarō!** _

_**Shintarō: (Blushes uncontrollably)** _

 


	9. Episode 9

**Episode 9**

 

**Author's Note: Sorry for the late update! Busy morning!**

 

Their lips still danced and their tongues still slicked over each other, but Shintarō wasn't paying attention to the fact that he was kissing another boy so fervently. His attention was glued to the soft clicks behind his back that Takao's deft hands were unlatching.

One by one, click by click, the chains loosened, but he refrained from shaking them free if at all to buy them some more time. He needed Takao to unlatch the last one, which was just above his tailbone and whose metal had gotten hot against his skin from his body heat.

“Three more.” Takao said through their continued kiss, arcing his pointer finger to click open another lock.

Shintarō nodded and swallowed, tasting Takao's subtly sweet flavor on the back of his tongue, “When the last one's open, I'll shrug them all off. Then you have to hurry to unlatch the one keeping me chained to the ceiling.” He said, never missing a beat in his lips matching Takao's, move for move.

With another click, the last trigger popped free, instantly letting the chains hang around Shintarō's entire 6'5 frame as they began to droop, loosening their hold on his wings. The relief was so good that his throat rumbled with delight as the ache started to finally ebb away, and with the last lock opened, his arms finally moved.

He shrugged hard, dropping his shoulders low and letting the chains fall hard and loud at his feet as his arms wrapped around Takao's smaller body. Their mouths didn't part until the last second when Shintarō hoisted him up high where his eyes caught sight of the thin string of saliva before it broke, but he didn't have time to think about that as the moment Takao's bare feet left the floor, an alarm erupted overhead.

“Work fast, Takao! We're on the clock!” Shintarō called out over the sound of the alarm, spreading and sweeping his wings to drop their chains to the floor.

Takao reached up high, stretching his arms to reach for the lock, but it was just a bit too high for his 5'9 stature. Even being held up by a 6'5 tower, the lock was just out of his reach and his throat growled because of it.

“I can't reach it! I need another inch!” Takao yelled over the alarm, gripping Shintarō's shoulder with one hand to steady himself.

“Oh, har har! Very funny coming from you!” Shintarō roared up to him.

“Just boost me up!” Takao barked.

With a hop of his upper half, Shintarō hoisted Takao up even higher, wrapping his arms around his knees to hold onto him, but when he looked up, he instantly regretted it.

“Goddammit!” Shintarō growled as he squeezed his eyes shut, continuing to balance the top heavy weight above him.

“What? What's wrong?” Takao asked, gritting his teeth together as he fought with the last lock.

“I looked up!” Shintarō admitted, ignoring the blush on his cheeks as he widened his stance to help steady himself.

“Your own fault!” Takao grinned.

“Why aren't you wearing underwear!” Shintarō howled, balancing Takao's weight against his chest.

“I'm prepped to get fucked, Genius! Underwear isn't exactly in my wardrobe choices, now hold still!” Takao barked.

“I'm trying!”

With a final flick of his pointer finger, the last lock popped open and dropped, just as the door far out of sight hissed open. Shintarō let him drop, but caught him around his torso to gently set him down as he wheeled around to put his back to the bars, shielding Takao just as a horde of guards appeared and stopped in front of the cell.

“Don't move!” A guard howled over the alarm, his rifle pointed at Shintarō's back that was protected by his freed wings.

“Stop right there and let the Stock go!” Another barked, the click of his rifle being racked not lost in their ears.

“He has a name!” Shintarō snapped back, his arms wrapped around Takao and holding him protectively against him.

“Like it matters. He's livestock... Just like you.” Came Hanamiya's voice, sending a chill down both their spines.

Shintarō's brows furrowed hard as he loosened his hold on Takao, letting him pull away just enough to look down into his eyes. They were scared, just like his most likely were, but with his arms around him still, he could feel Takao shaking.

“Shh-... Calm down, Takao. This is where I need your help. A Hawk-wing and Razor-wing are best together.” Shintarō whispered, grasping both sides of Takao's jaw.

Takao gulped, but nodded as he reached up and grasped Shintarō's wrists, “What do you need?”

“Tell me where they are.” Shintarō mouthed.

Without even having to move, Takao's eyes shifted around so rapidly that they almost looked unseeing to Shintarō. Their slate blue color that sparkled even indoors began to shift, becoming streaked with lines of orange that shimmered like amber. It was mesmerizing as he watched and after only a few moments, Takao's eyes settled on being amber orange.

“Six guards, plus Hanamiya. Seven in total. Three on either side of the door and spaced 45.7 centimeters apart... except for the two flanking Hanamiya; They're 30 centimeters away from him. The one on Hanamiya's right has the keycard to unlock the door.” Takao said very quickly, tightening his grip on Shintarō's wrists to help him steady himself and his racing heart.

“Hey... Hey, look at me, Takao. Just breath... What kind of guns do they have?” Shintarō asked calmly, stroking his thumbs over Takao's cheekbones to garnish his attention.

“They aren't dart guns. They're normal rifles... They intend to kill, but they won't shoot you. Me?... Probably, but not you.” Takao said, blowing out a shaking breath, but standing his ground and shielded by Shintarō's large body.

“Then stay behind me. I don't want you getting hurt.” Shintarō said softly.

Takao just nodded as he continued to breath, holding on to Shintarō's wrists as he heard Hanamiya's throat rumble with irritation. He had heard that sound before and whenever he did, it made his knees shake with terror.

“I'll tell you what, Angelika... You release my Stock, and I'll let you play with him for awhile... Let you get your nut off for a bit before I kill him. How's that?” Hanamiya near cooed.

“I have something else in mind.” Shintarō said, this time louder so that they all could hear.

“Oh? Do tell.” Hanamiya grumbled.

“He's coming with me.”

His wings had been tucked tight against his back, shielding them both from the rifles that were trained on them, but it wasn't just to protect his back, it was also to ready himself to strike.

With a huge wide sweep of his wings, Shintarō launched a barrage of razor feathers, whistling through the air just as loudly as the alarm in their short distance. He had launched fourteen of them that all found their marks, burying themselves in the guards' shoulders and forcing them to drop their rifles. They all screamed in their nonlethal agony, dropping to their knees with useless arms; Even Hanamiya whom was barely able to stay standing up as he leaned against the bars of the cell.

He growled with pain, but too fast, too soon, his uniform lapel was grabbed as he was yanked up to stare into very angry, very emerald eyes.

“Do I need a keycard for the other doors?” Shintarō hissed through clenched teeth, his superior strength lifting Hanamiya off his feet.

Hanamiya sneered, but nodded.

“Do you have one?” Shintarō asked, glancing down to see Takao patting down the guard for his keycard.

“Yes-” Hanamiya hissed, letting his tongue snake the end of the word.

“Which pocket?” Shintarō asked, his voice so low and so menacing that even Hanamiya's eyes began to widen.

“Right pocket of his jacket.” Takao said plainly, pulling the keycard and reaching up to slide it through the reader.

Shintarō simply opened his hands and let Hanamiya drop to the floor as the cell door started to open, pulling his arms back through in time to step out and crouch down. Just as Takao said, the different colored keycard was exactly where he said it would be and as he pulled it out, he stood and plowed his knee into Hanamiya's nose.

“Sleep it off, Asshole.” Shintarō spat out before grabbing Takao's hand and starting to run.

The corridor was plain, long and perfectly straight, dotted with a dozen cells just like his along its entire length. The lights were harsh, recessed into the ceiling to allow for the most headroom since it was low, too low to allow even Takao to fully raise his wings.

The alarm still blared overhead, ringing in their ears to resonate inside their skulls. It made them both cringe before Takao started to slow, pulling on Shintarō's hand to slow him down and at the tug, he skidded to a halt and wheeled around to face him, shielding him with his back towards the door.

“What is it? What's wrong?” Shintarō asked, his eyes worried as Takao planted a hand on the small of his back.

“I can't run that fast. I'm prepped.” Takao said, wincing with a hiss as he pressed harder to try and compress the sharp ache.

“What's prepped?” Shintarō asked, his brows furrowed as he glanced over his shoulder to keep an eye on the door.

“What the fuck do you think!” Takao snapped, pursing his lips together.

Shintarō grimaced and pinched the bridge of his nose, “You know what?... I'm not gonna ask.” He pushed up his glasses.

“Trust me... You don't wanna know the details.” Takao said, blowing out a few stiff breaths to help ebb the ache in his backside.

“Do we need to stop at a med bay, or something?” Shintarō asked with genuine concern, grabbing Takao's hand again and starting for the door, this time at a much slower speed.

“We can't. The medical bays are further underground.” Takao said, stopping as they reached the door.

“Figures... Do you know where we are?” Shintarō asked, swiping the keycard down the reader that made the red light turn green.

Takao nodded, “Yeah... We're two levels down. The first three levels are the Harvest blocks around a central elevator and there's three blocks to a level.” He said, following Shintarō through the door the moment there was enough space to squeeze through.

They stepped into an identical corridor that gently curved in both directions with stenciled symbols painted on the metallic blue walls. The red strobes flashed evenly overhead as the alarm continued to sound, but despite the howl of the siren, their ears were picking up the heavy sounds of running boots.

“Where's the med bay?” Shintarō asked, snatching Takao's hand and starting down the curving corridor to the right, following a symbol that looked to be an elevator.

“Level 8! It's right next to the labs!” Takao said, swallowing down a wince from the ache returning to the small of his back.

“Do we need to stop?” Shintarō asked again, his voice firm as he glanced back over his shoulder as they ran.

Takao hissed again with another spike of ache, but his grip on Shintarō's hand tightened as his bare feet hit the floor.

“No! Just get to the elevator and head to the surface! There's too many guards in the lower levels!” Takao yelled as he followed Shintarō around the curve of the corridor.

They continued to run along the corridor as fast as they could, Takao ignoring the ache low in his back as more running boots starting to be heard over the alarms. Shintarō continued to follow the symbol of a square with an up down arrow in it, but was pulled to a halt when Takao grabbed his arm with both hands and pulled him back.

Intent to complain, Shintarō wheeled around to chastise the Hawk-wing, but when he saw that his eyes had once again turned from slate blue, to amber orange, his argument vanished.

“Five guards... Nine meters ahead around the corner. Bank your shots off the tip of the arrow... There.” Takao said, pointing at a large stenciled arrow that pointed in that very direction.

As Shintarō looked back forwards, he saw the trotting shadows darkening along the wall as the guards drew closer, but instead of waiting, he whipped his right wing forward and fired five razors.

His aim was perfect, and each razor ricocheted off the tip of the arrow just as Takao had said, whistling around the corner where they both saw the shadows fall to the floor. He grabbed Takao's hand again and started to run, jumping over the fallen group of guards whom writhed in pain at the wounds in their shoulders. Takao glanced back at them as he ran, his lips twitching into a crooked smirk, and when he looked back forward, he saw that they were close to the elevator.

“It's coming up on your left!” He called out, the ache in his lower back increasing gradually into a mild sting.

Shintarō planted his feet to slow their run before the wall to his left opened up into a small alcove. They turned into it where he pulled the keycard and swiped it down the reader, but instead of hissing open right away, nothing happened.

“What's going on? Why won't it work?” Shintarō asked, trying the card again, only for the same to happen; Nothing.

“The car's programmed to wait topside. It doesn't stay on the last floor it stopped at for security reasons.” Takao said, his eyes still glistening the color of amber as he glanced down the corridor in both directions to watch for more guards.

“Shit! How long do we have to wait then?” Shintarō asked as his wings started to bristle with quickly rising anxiety.

“Uh... Harvest block 6-” His eyes looked up as he thought, “A minute? I think?” He shrugged.

“You think?” Shintarō arced a brow as he looked down at the smaller boy.

“I'm usually not counting on my way down here, alright?” Takao sneered, slowly shaking his head and rolling his eyes.

“Alright... I'll give you that.” Shintarō shuttered as he gripped the back of his neck.

“Yeah, that's what I thought.” Takao shot back, grimacing at the sharp pain that was growing in his lower back.

Blowing out a stiff breath, Takao leaned back against the wall, forcing himself to breath as steadily as possible to help battle passed the pain. Running as fast as he was in his attempt to keep up, the pain was getting worse, but he knew that if they slowed down, the more guards they would be faced with. He had to keep running, no matter what.

“Takao... Are you alright? What's going on? Is it whatever this prepped thing is?” Shintarō asked, gripping the boy's shoulders to help him stand up straight.

Takao nodded, “Yeah... I'm fine though. Just keep going.” He asked, wincing a bit more as he pressed a hand into the back of his hip.

“Takao... The pain's getting worse. What's going on?” Shintarō asked, his ears starting to pick up more incoming boots.

“Don't worry about it! Just fire seven razors around the corner!” Takao snapped, his eyes opened once again to reveal their amber color.

“When and where?” Shintarō asked, his left wing extending out into the corridor.

 _Three... Two... One..._ “Right and now!”

With a snap, Shintarō's wing shot seven razor feathers that all screamed down the right corridor that only stopped with wet thunks, shortly followed by hard thuds as whomever they hit, hit the floor. He breathed a short sigh of relief as the arrival bong sounded and the elevator doors slid open, but when they did, Shintarō's and Takao's eyes shot wide.

“Get them!” A guard howled as he and four more of his buddies shot forward.

However, neither Shintarō, nor Takao gave them much time as both planted their feet into the guards' stomachs and thrust back, forcing the wall of guards back into the elevator car. The act instantly made Takao wince, but as Shintarō darted into the car, he was pulled along before he could protest.

“What're you-” Takao tried, but ducked when an emerald wing slammed a guard hard into the elevator wall.

All Takao could do was crouch and cover his head as Shintarō brutalized the five guards inside the car. His wings slammed two against the wall while he plowed his knuckles into the face of another, hard enough that Takao heard the guard's nose break. He dared to look up just in time to see Shintarō's knee rocket into another guard's gut, but the last one had done the same he had; He ducked.

Having cowered at the start of Shintarō's lightning fast blitz, the guard had been able to move around until he was behind the large, green winged monster, but instead of attacking, he crawled into the corner to stay out of his way. Takao's brows furrowed hard as he watched the guard, a rather young man with short, spiky brown hair and dark eyes. What he found odd however, was that his mouth was rather catty.

When the fourth guard dropped, unconscious and slumping back against the wall with a broken nose that poured blood, Shintarō spun to target the cowering guard, his arm back and fist clenched, but when the guard held his hands up in defense, he froze.

“Whoa! I'm on your side! Don't hit me!” The guard yelped, squeezing his eyes shut as he protected his face.

“What? You're Human.” Shintarō growled, his breathing heavy from the running and now close quarter combat.

“I'm Shinji Koganei! I'm with Junpei Hyūga!” The guard shook as he cowered.

That peaked Shintarō's attention, “Hyūga? Are you guys alright?”

“We're fine for now, but we've gotta lay low. The General's starting to get suspicious and we didn't know about the set up! Honest! We didn't!” Koganei yelped, lowering his hands just enough to look up at Shintarō looming over him.

“Why're you here?” Shintarō asked, offering the frightened Human his hand.

Koganei took it as the large winged boy helped him up, “I've got the last keycard you'll need to get out of the base. The elevator lets you out into the hanger, but you'll need this to get out into the open.”

Koganei dug around in his tactical vest and pulled a keycard, offering it to Shintarō, but he hesitated.

“Why do I need it? I have the keycard from that Hanamiya guy.” Shintarō said, taking the card and turning it over in his hands.

“He uses the underground tunnel to travel back and forth from the Stock house. It's there to keep the rest of the population from eyeing the Stock. This card will open the maintenance door in the back of the hanger, so it should buy you another minute before they find you.” Kaganei explained, his dark eyes shifting back and forth between Shintarō and Takao.

“Thanks.” Shintarō said before jamming the side of his fist down on the button for the surface.

“I also disabled the choppers, but it'll only buy you another minute. I just flipped a switch is all and it'll be the first thing they check. Go! Don't worry about us!” Kaganei said as the elevator car started to rise.

Shintarō glanced over at Takao, who seemed to mirroring his own expression. He could see it in his now slate blue eyes that he was pensive about the whole thing, and he didn't blame him considering that they hadn't met a Human yet whom was willing to risk it all for them. However, he knew damn well that Junpei Hyūga and his guys could be trusted and in that moment, he wasn't going to question.

“I'm sorry about this.” Shintarō said as he looked back at Kaganei.

“Huh? Sorry for-”

Shintarō's fist smashed into Kaganei's cheek, snapping his head to the right and knocking him cold, but Shintarō caught him and gently laid him down so he didn't get hurt anymore. With him knocked out just like the others, no one would suspect and as the elevator slowed and arrived at surface level, the sound bonged and the doors opened.

Without hesitation, Shintarō fired a massive barrage of razor feathers at the dozen guards all waiting on the other side, shielding Takao behind him. They fired darts at him, but the razor feathers knocked them from the air before finding their targets in the guard's shoulders.

As the last guard dropped in agony, Shintarō grabbed Takao's hand once more and bolted, near dragging the smaller boy behind him as he sprinted to the other side of the hanger with its four giant choppers laying dormant like sleeping dragons. He could see the red door on the other side and as he fished out the card that Kaganei had given him, he skidded to a halt and swiped it down the reader.

The second the heavy bolt thunked open, Shintarō pushed the door open and dragged Takao through, emerging out into fresh, unfiltered air that felt like lung nectar to both of them. They both took in huge breaths, but when a huge spike of pain erupted in his lower back, Takao stumbled and he fell onto his stomach on the dirt.

“Takao!” Shintarō yelped, spinning around and dropping to a knee beside him.

“I'm fine.” Takao said, keeping his face turned towards the dirt to hide his harsh wince.

“Don't bullshit me! What's going on?” Shintarō asked, brushing Takao's mussed hair from his face to see the pain in his eyes.

“I'm fine... Just in pain. We're almost there, so keep going.” Takao said, his breathing short and fast.

Shintarō gulped as he slung Takao's arm over his shoulders and stood, lifting the smaller boy with him, but when his emerald eyes set on the patch of dirt where Takao had fallen, he saw the splatters of blood staining the flat brown dirt.

“You're bleeding... Are you hit?” Shintarō asked, helping Takao to steady himself on his own two feet as he looked him over.

Takao gulped and cringed, but shook his head, “N-No... I'm fine... Just e-exhausted.” Each word sounded almost strained.

“You've gotta last a bit longer. We've gotta fly-” Shintarō tried, but stopped when Takao started shaking his head.

“I can't fly... I mean... I've never flown before. Stock aren't allowed to fly.” Takao said, squeezing his eyes shut with a hard grimace, the pain in his lower back near unbearable and impossible to hide.

“What? Why?” Shintarō asked, his eyes wide with shock.

“It'll bulk us out. They want us lithe like this so we look feminine. They don't even feed us a lot of protein so we don't gain muscle mass. I'm 5'9 and should weigh around 140-145 pounds, but I'm only 120.” Takao explained, gripping Shintarō's forearms to help keep him standing.

“Jesus... You're underweight. You don't have the stamina to fly.” Shintarō exhaled as he took Takao's hand and dragged him away from the door.

“I'm sorry... It was a nice dream to have.” Takao said as dread began to fill his chest and eyes.

“What?... I'm not leaving you here. A promise is a promise. Can you glide?” Shintarō asked, the rush of running boots spiking his worry that they were about to be found.

Takao shrugged, but instantly wished he hadn't when the pain thundered, making him blatantly aware of the heat running down his leg. His knees buckled as he dropped, but instead of hitting the dirt again, he was caught and hoisted up into a pair of arms.

“Somethings wrong with you. Hang on to me!” Shintarō ordered as he spread his wings.

The moment Takao's arms wrapped around his neck, he was rocketing skyward with The Farm falling away as if the ground had simply opened up. His eyes were wider than they had ever gone before as his breath caught, but the terror of suddenly being airborne was so strong that he huddled as far into Shintarō as he could and buried his face into his neck.

“Takao... Listen to me... I can carry you to that ridge, but I need you to fly. I can't carry you all the way back.” Shintarō said, pursing his lips together as he beat his wings with ever ounce of power to lift them both into the air.

The distant barks of gunfire sounded from below them, but the darts and standard rounds flew passed them with a considerable buffer. They were pulling away too fast for the guards to get a good bead on them and as Takao cowered into his neck, Shintarō banked them around towards the familiar eastern ridge.

“I don't know if I can. The pain's getting worse.” Takao said, his lips right next to Shintarō's ear so he didn't need to scream over the rushing wind.

“I know... You aren't very good at hiding it, but you have to push through it.” Shintarō said, his deep voice almost soothing and helping Takao to push through the pain.

The barking gunfire fell away completely as Shintarō flew, his wings pulling them through the air with each beat. They were almost to the eastern ridge and with a few more beats, Shintarō tucked them in close to his body to dive for it.

The wind rushed through Takao's hair so fast that it raised a heavy layer of gooseflesh over his skin, as it was a sensation he had never felt before. He had wings that had never been used before, wings with feathers that had always longed to feel the wind, but were never given the chance. It was exhilarating and freeing, yet to him, it was also terrifying, simply because it was something new.

With a wide spread of his wings, Shintarō slowed them to a gentle hover before touching down softly onto the crunching dirt. He put Takao down on his feet, but his legs refused to work, forcing Shintarō to continue holding him as he set him down on the ground.

However, the moment he released the boy to let his arms have a moment's rest, he saw the heavy red stream of blood that was coursing down Takao's leg, having made it all the way to his ankle before being pulled off in a smear.

“Oh my god-” Shintarō breathed out, looking back towards the distant Farm with its alarm still blaring.

“S-Shin... I-It hurts.” Takao shook, each word sounding broken and distant as he pushed himself up onto his hip.

“I know, but you've gotta push through it for just a little longer. There's someone who can look at you where we're going.” Shintarō said, placing his hand on his cheek and reeling at how cold it felt.

Takao gulped, but nodded, looking off into the distance to see with his keen hawk like eyes that the hanger doors were opening.

“We don't have anymore time. We've gotta go... The choppers.” Takao said, blowing out unsteady breath after unsteady breath.

Shintarō threaded his arms beneath Takao's again and hoisted him up, but instead of letting him go, he held him close to his chest and dragged him towards the edge of the cliff. It was the only way, but should Takao fail to spread his wings, it also afforded him a chance to save their lives.

“No! What're you doing! I can't!” Takao yelped, too weak to resist being dragged towards the edge.

“Yes you can! You have to! It's our only shot!” Shintarō barked, his feet starting to hurt from being stabbed by the tiny sharp rocks.

“No! Please! I can't fly! I can't!” Takao pleaded more as he tried to push Shintarō away.

However, it was too late and Shintarō held him firm before he leaped over the side, turning to put his back towards the fast approaching ground so Takao was laying over him. His wings were spread wide to help slow their descent, but it was now, or never.

Takao was terrified, completely consumed by fear that was more absolute than any other time he had been lead to a harvest block. He was so tense, so stiff with terror that his eyes squeezed shut and his fingers had curled to cling to a chunk of Shintarō's black muscle shirt. The wind was so fast, so rushing that it sounded like a raging river and the only thing that kept him from thinking he was at the rapid's mercy, was Shintarō's arms around him.

“Takao! Look at me! Open your eyes!” Shintarō howled over the wind rushing passed them.

“I can't! I'm too scared!” Takao screamed, burying his face further into Shintarō's chest.

Shintarō needed to act, needed to get through to him that this was it. There was no more time to waste, so he grabbed Takao's head and forced him to look up to see the tears streaking down his face. He truly was terrified and he had to do something, anything to take that fear away. His mind was so jumbled, and every thought was being lost to the rising panic that they were about to hit the ground, so with no more thought, no more thinking, he smashed his lips to his.

The sudden, unexpected contact sprang Takao's eyes open to see Shintarō's outline so close that it was blurry, but all he could focus on was the warmth being pressed to his lips. It pushed back his fear, pushed back his doubts and when they pulled away, it left him airless.

“I-I... I-I thought-”

“Don't talk! Fly!”

At the sharp order, Takao's hawk like wings spread out to as wide as they could go, cupping the air like a ship's sails as he started to lift away from Shintarō's hold. The feeling of the wind through his feathers was so new, so pure that he started to flap, his muscles instantly warming and aching from the new motion. He was still scared, but when Shintarō continued to hold his hand and turned over, giving his wings a huge downbeat to level out, they began to fly up and away from the ground.

“I-I... I'm flying!” Takao yelped, his mouth agape as he tried to breath, his wings flapping to keep him close to Shintarō's side as he pulled him along.

“I told you you could do it!” Shintarō said, smiling down at him with a wide, genuine and beautiful smile.

Takao's heart hadn't slowed down in what seemed like ages, but he felt alive, more alive than he had ever felt before. He was born and raised at The Farm, specifically meant to be selected as Stock once he had become ripe for the picking. He whad been selected when he first turned 16, as he had grown into his frame well and fast and when once a Stock had become too old, having just turned 18, he was selected to fill the spot.

He had been cattle up until today, nothing more than a numbered tag, but now, he was flying high, the new sun's rays beating off his skin, lifting his spirit and making the pain in his lower back go away. The adrenaline was coursing through his veins so much that he actually unwound his fingers from Shintarō's as they flew, giving his wings a shot to carry him on their own and they did. Each beat carried him through the air and each beat, he followed Shintarō away from the only thing he had ever known.

It wasn't until Shintarō took his hand once more that he was ripped from his heaven, being pulled down towards a large lake with a waterfall far below. He had never seen anything so beautiful before and was so transfixed by it, that he just let Shintarō lead him along.

“Hold your breath!” Shintarō called over the wind, spreading his wings to level them out parallel with the lake as they barreled for the base of the waterfall.

Takao's eyes widened, but he did as ordered and held his breath, watching as the thundering white water drew closer and closer. They were going so fast that he barely had time to close his eyes before they splashed through, the cold instantly sending a shiver down his spine, but when he opened them again, Shintarō was slowing them to a hover.

“We're here. Go ahead and land.” Shintarō said, his bare feet touching down onto the sands while Takao still hovered.

“You haven't taught me that yet.” Takao said, his words laced with a laugh as his wings beat frantically to keep him aloft.

Shintarō lowly laughed as he raised his arms up, “Yeah... Come on. I've got you.”

Mildly gulping, Takao waited another moment before just letting his wings stop, instantly dropping him into Shintarō's arms that caught him and set him down on the sands as gently as a falling feather. It was chilly and the cave they were in was dark, but with Shintarō's hand grasping his yet again, he started to walk alongside him.

“This is what you were talking about? Your friends are here?” Takao asked, slipping his hand free to press it into the back of his hip from the returning ache.

Shintarō nodded, “Yeah. They might've picked us up, so they'll probably be here soon.”

Takao just nodded as he followed, wincing with the ache that was coming back so fast, that he barely had time to swallow his whimper. More hot streaks screamed down his leg with each step and his muscles were howling their displeasure at being used so vigorously and not how he was used to. Every part of him hurt, every inch of skin, every muscle inside and out, even his head pounded, but when his dirty bare feet set down once more on the sand, his body just quit.

“Takao!” Shintarō yelped, catching the boy just in time to lower him gently to the soft sand.

“I-I... I-I'm sorry, Shin-” Takao's breath left his body, his skin paling until it was closer to sickly green than cream.

“Sorry for what? What's wrong?” Shintarō pleaded, cradling Takao in an arm while he brushed his raven locks from his face.

“I-I... I-I-”

There was nothing left to give as Takao's eyes rolled into the back of his head, slipping into unconsciousness with short, uneasy breaths. His skin was cold to the touch and as Shintarō started to panic, his eyes set on the thick stream of blood beginning to seep out from underneath Takao's hip.

“Oh god.... Wakamatsu!... Help!... Wakamatsu!” Shintarō howled, threading his arms beneath Takao's limp body to lift him up.

Takao was so light, far lighter than he should be as he started to hurry deeper into the cave with the orange glow becoming brighter and brighter with each step. He ran as fast as he could, but with Takao's limp wings dragging along the ground, he had to watch his footing, or risk stepping on the feathers.

“Wakamatsu! I need your help!” Shintarō called once more as he reached the edge of the ridge.

The encampment below was scurrying as they all froze and looked up at him, their mouths dropping in shock at what they saw. He immediately saw his brothers step out of the operations tent, but instead of smiling with relief, he was more concerned with Wakamatsu, whom was just stepping out from the infirmary tent.

“Wakamatsu! Help! He's dying!” Shintarō screamed, his eyes shaking and glistening with moisture as he leaped from the ridge, spreading his wings to control his fall.

“What's going on?” Wakamatsu called back as he started to run for him.

“I don't know! He's bleeding badly!” Shintarō roared, his deeper voice popping as he touched down.

Wakamatsu, flanked by a pair of nurses, sprinted for them as Shintarō knelt down and set Takao down gently, an eye betraying him as it spilt a tear. His arm that had cradled Takao's legs was covered in blood and more had streamed down his whole front all the way to his knees. He hadn't noticed in his rush to get him to the encampment and now that his emerald eyes saw it, his heart started to plummet into oblivion.

“Jesus Christ... Where'd he get hit?” Wakamatsu asked, his face blank and determined as he knelt down and pried one of Takao's eyelids open to shine a penlight into them.

“He isn't! I don't know where it's coming from, but he's been in pain since we broke out!” Shintarō said, another tear diving free of his lower lid as his hand cradled Takao's cheek, lolling it to his right.

Wakamatsu instantly gasped as the orange tag in Takao's left ear became visible, his eyes wide as he glanced back at his nurses.

“Is he active Stock?” Wakamatsu asked, slipping his arms beneath Takao to take him from Shintarō.

Shintarō nodded, “Yes! They brought him to me wanting him to-” Wakamatsu cut him off.

“He's ripped! Prep the tent for emergency surgery! Get the bag puller and three units of blood!” Wakamatsu howled as he stood and headed off.

All Shintarō could do was watch as Wakamatsu took Takao away, how his arms dangled almost lifelessly towards the sand while his wings were carried by a nurse. The other nurse had actually flown to get back to the infirmary tent and as he rose to his feet to follow, he found himself suddenly surrounded by the others, blocking his way.

“Midorimacchi! How did you-... How did you break out? We were trying to come up with a plan to rescue you!” Ryōta said in quick words, his eyes already pooling with tears of joy as he threw himself on Shintarō for a firm hug.

He opened his mouth to try and answer, but no words came out as he tried to follow where Wakamatsu was going, but through the group, he had lost sight of him. They were gone.

“Goddamn, Shin! You had us worried to hell and back! How'd you break out?” Daiki asked.

“Are you hurt, Midorima-kun?”

“It's a relief to see you alright, Shintarō.”

“I'm glad you're ok, Mido-Chin-”

“Stop it!... Just stop talking!” Shintarō boomed, slapping his hands over his ears as he dropped to his knees and hunched over far enough to nearly plant his forehead into the sands.

Seeing the desperation and despair in the normally very prideful man, Riko's lips parted in a gasp as she shared a glance with Teppei whom seemed to be thinking the same thing. They both had seen this before in the past, what happens when a Razor-wing is on the verge of losing their compatible Hawk-wing. They become inconsolable, unable to think straight, let alone breath normally. Shintarō was terrified and nearly completely consumed by it.

Silencing her gulp, Riko stepped through the boys and knelt down beside him, but refrained from touching him. He had wrapped his arms around himself in an attempt to keep himself together, and was rocking back and forth, having tucked his head into his chest as if he was losing his mind.

“Shintarō... He's your Hawk-wing isn't he.” She said softly, this time placing a hand on his shoulder.

Shintarō just nodded, but didn't look up.

“What's his name?” Riko asked softly, looking at all the others whom were just watching.

“Kazunari Takao.” Shintarō's broken voice said.

“Sign?” She asked simply.

“Scorpio to my Cancer.” He said, still rocking, still holding himself together.

Riko exhaled with a sigh, but nodded once she glanced at Teppei, whom returned the gesture.

“Go wait for him. The debriefing'll wait.” Riko said, standing up.

That was all Shintarō needed to hear as he scurried off, leaving the group to just watch as he ran for the infirmary tent, darting around others whom got the hint and stayed out of his way.

“Is Midorimacchi going to be ok?” Ryōta asked, drying his eyes as Tetsuya rubbed his back.

“Give him time guys. We'll get the details later, but leave him alone for a bit.” Riko said, loosely crossing her arms as she started to walk back into the encampment with Teppei by her side.

The boy's just nodded as they walked away, leaving them the last six from those that had come running when they saw Shintarō had returned to them on his own. They were at a complete loss for words, and it only got worse when they looked back at the sands that had been stained with crimson blood.

* * *

 

_**Wakamatsu: You're so small, Takao.** _

_**Takao: Yeah yeah... I know I'm on the shorter side.** _

_**Taiga: How in the hell did you get a gig in a basketball show anyways?** _

_**Takao: Cuz I'm good at it?** _

_**Shintarō: The jury's still out. (Pushes up glasses)** _

_**Takao: That's mean, Shin-Chan!** _

_**Lycanwolff: I'm sure he's kidding... Right, Shintarō? (Glares at)** _

_**Shintarō: (Stands up straight and gulps) Yes, Ma'am!** _

_**Lycanwolff: That's what I thought. (Hugs Takao)** _

_**Tetsuya and Ryōta: (Chuckling and glances at each other) We're shipping it.** _

_**Shintarō: (Angry glare) What could you possibly be shipping now!** _

_**Atsushi: She isn't all that short... I mean, she's above average from the girls back home. (Happily eats sweets)** _

_**Shintarō: Who is?** _

_**Daiki: Oi! Where's the next script!** _

 


	10. Episode 10

**Episode 10**

 

The encampment was so quiet that the crackle of the flames in front of him seemed like sonic booms to his ears. His mind was completely blank of any thought, save for one, and it had been that way for hours.

Every muscle was sore, so much so that even adjusting his wings felt like they were coated in concrete, so instead of trying, he just sat on a stump outside of the infirmary tent and blindly watched the flames in their dance with his elbows on his thighs and his hands clasped together.

“Hey... You hungry?” Came a familiar voice, snapping Shintarō back into his own head as he looked up, seeing Taiga sitting down next to him with a bowl of vegetable stew.

“Yeah... I could go for a bite.” He said, shallowly nodding as he accepted the bowl.

“How you doing?” Taiga asked, slouching forward a bit with his hands locked together.

Shintarō shrugged, “Fine I guess.” He said, slipping a spoonful into his mouth.

“Any word yet?” Taiga asked lowly.

“No.” He said simply, taking another mouthful, as each one spurred him on to continue eating in his unrealized hunger.

Taiga just nodded as he licked his lips, opting to stay quiet while Shintarō ate his meal. Before he had appeared, they had been locked in the operations tent trying to plan a rescue, but with no idea on where to look, it was a needle in a haystack and they were blind. He was so scared, just like they all were that they wouldn't get to him in time, but by some miracle, or chance, or fate, he had broken free and even brought someone with him.

As Shintarō scraped his bowl clean for the last morsels, he sighed with relief as his hunger was sated. He chewed his mouthful and swallowed, accepting the water from Taiga that he guzzled down in one go. It finished filling his stomach and without the painful knotting, he felt like he was one step closer to being back to normal.

“Thanks.” He said, swiping his hand across his mouth to dry his lips.

“Sure... Figured you were hungry. I wasn't sure if they fed you, or not.” Taiga said, dropping his head to rub his hair.

“They didn't. By the time I woke up, I was already chained up in a harvest cell.” Shintarō said, setting the emptied cup and bowl down on the sands at his still dirtied feet that were smeared with rusty colored, dried blood.

“Is that when they brought him to you?” Taiga asked, pointing back at the infirmary tent that hadn't had anyone step out of it in hours.

Shintarō nodded, “Yeah.”

“He's Stock... Isn't he.” Taiga said after a moment, slowly exhaling so not to piss off the dragon.

Again, Shintarō nodded as he picked at his fingernails and blindly stared at the fire, “Yeah... He's our age, Kagami... They forced a 16 year old to be a sex slave and to get... to get... penetrated by other males simply to harvest their semen. He's not even gay, Kagami, but he did it so his quality of life would get better.” His brows furrowed hard and every muscle tensed as he spoke.

“Can I be honest?” Taiga asked.

Shintarō just looked over at him and waited.

“If I was in his situation... I'd probably do the same thing.” Taiga said, turning his gaze towards the fire.

Again, Shintarō nodded as he looked down at his hands, but scoffed with a sad smile, “He said he just got a bed a few months ago... He's been having sex so he can have a bed to sleep in.”

“Then you came along and now look... He has a chance now.” Taiga said, sitting up and rubbing his thighs.

Shintarō just huffed and rubbed the back of his neck, “Maybe... He was bleeding so bad, Kagami, and every time I asked what was wrong, he just said he was fine and to keep running. I could tell he was in pain, it was obvious, but I just kept pulling him along because I was desperate to keep my promise.” He dropped his hand down into his lap.

“You did, Midorima. Wakamatsu's good. He'll be ok.” Taiga said quietly.

“I hope you're right... because if Takao doesn't make it-” His voice trailed off as he looked back at the fire.

“Boy... This whole star connection thing is really serious isn't it.” Taiga said with a smirk.

“Who told you?” Shintarō asked, tearing his eyes away to look at his brother.

“Aida did... The cuter one, I mean.” Taiga said.

“I can't make sense of it... I just can't. I have no idea what's going on.” Shintarō said, his eyes shimmering more than they should with firelight.

“You'll figure it out soon,” Taiga said, clapping a hand down on Shintarō's shoulder, “You should go get cleaned up. You still have his blood all over you.” He said, taking back his hand.

He hadn't realized it, being so lost in his thoughts and worry, but Taiga was right. Takao's blood had long since dried all over him, caking onto his pants, dirtying his skin and had even dirtied underneath his fingernails. He was a mess and finally realizing it, he was suddenly hit with an outlandish need to bathe.

“You're right. What will you do?” Shintarō asked as he stood, refraining from touching his own skin with his filthy hands.

“I'll let you know if Wakamatsu comes out. In the meantime, I've got a bed to scrounge up.” Taiga softly smiled.

Shintarō pushed up his glasses and returned the smile, “Thank you... Taiga.”

With a nod, Shintarō stepped away and headed back towards his tent, racking a hand back over his hair and cringing at how gross it felt. He was filthy and after stopping by his and Daiki's shared tent to get a change of clothes and some soaps, he headed for the back of the encampment.

A few others were bathing in the cold lake, but none of them paid him any mind as he wrapped the towel around his hips before taking off his soiled pants and shirt. He kicked off his pants unceremoniously before slipping off his glasses, setting them down neatly on top of his clean clothes before sucking in a breath and stepping into the cold water.

The shock of cold maybe his skin instantly shiver and pimple itself, but he kept going deeper until it was up to his hips. His wings dipped into the water, instantly cooling their heat and soreness and washing away the built up filth. He wouldn't be flying until they dried, but he frankly didn't care as he pulled his primaries up to begin to thoroughly wash.

The blood had gotten in more places than he had thought, as he had found spots speckled on his feathers and in his hair from running his bloodied hands over it. There was a smudge on his cheek, down his chest, his legs. There was so much of it that as he cleaned it all away, his eyes began to tear.

After some time, he raised his wings high, taking them fully out of the water to shake as much off as possible. It rained down over him, but now that he was clean, it felt refreshing as he trudged out of the water and picked up his dry towel.

He dried himself and dressed in his clean clothes, being a pair of cargo pants that danced around his feet and a plain blue open backed t-shirt. He finished tying the strings behind his back before balling up his filthy clothes and walking back to his tent, but when he set his things down next to his bed, Taiga poked his head inside.

“Hey, Shin?... Wakamatsu wants to see you.” He said lowly, stepping aside and holding the tent flaps open so he didn't get run over.

Without a word, Shintarō was through the tent and near jogging his way towards the infirmary, quickly sidestepping others and even jumping over a campfire to make his trip shorter. He could see Wakamatsu standing out front, wearing an apron with a face mask pulled down to his neck. He was pulling off his latex gloves and using his shirt to dry his forehead, but the closer he got, the more light he could see in the man's eyes.

“Good... You've gotten cleaned up.” Wakamatsu said quietly, finishing with drying his forehead with his sleeve.

“How is he?” Shintarō asked, his stomach rolling with fear at what his answer would be.

“Resting... and alive. He'll be down for awhile though.” Wakamatsu said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“What happened to him?” Shintarō asked, relief filling his entire soul to hear that Takao was alive and in recovery.

“He tore.” Wakamatsu said, his eyes blank and voice even.

Shintarō's brows furrowed, “Tore?”

Wakamatsu scrubbed the back of his head, “By the looks of things, he's been Stock for around six, maybe seven months.”

“Six months.”

“Well, it shows. He's got some pretty severe rectal scarring and since he was prepped to milk you, he was equipped with a catch bag.” Wakamatsu said quietly, releasing a long and slow sigh.

Shintarō's throat closed up, “I-I... I don't understand.” He near whispered.

Wakamatsu blew out a stiff breath, “It's pretty much as it sounds. It's a bag that's supposed to catch the semen, then snap closed so it doesn't spill out. There's a ring at the mouth of the bag, and it's that ring that twisted, broke and punctured his colon while you two ran.”

Shintarō's bottom lip started to quiver as he sucked in a breath, hanging his head while he rubbed his towel dried hair and planted a hand on his hip.

“It's my fault... He told me he couldn't run that fast because he was prepped, but I didn't understand and we ran anyways. He's hurt because of me.” He said, lifting his head and planting his other hand on his hip as he was wracked with guilt.

However, Wakamatsu shook his head, “You saved his life, Midorima. He's on some pretty stiff antibiotics right now because he has a nasty bacterial infection from all the anal sex. He'd be dead in a matter of weeks if you hadn't brought him here and if it wasn't for you, he'd die slow, he'd die painfully, and he'd die alone.” He said, his voice calm and soothing.

Shintarō's eyes started to sting, “I-Is he gonna make it?” The lump in his throat was so large, that it almost felt as if he had two Adam's apples.

Wakamatsu started to smile, “Yeah... He'll make it.”

Shintarō was flooded with so much relief that he swore his heart stopped beating, completely content to let him die with the happy news. He felt himself smiling as a single tear leaped from his right eye, but he quickly wiped it away as he nodded and sucked in a few steadying breaths.

“Can I see him?” He asked, sniffling once to clear his sinuses.

“Sure... But take it easy. If he falls asleep, just leave him be.” Wakamatsu said, stepping aside and sweeping his arm out to open the tent.

Shintarō just nodded before stepping inside, stopping to taking in what lay out before him. All the beds were empty, save for one, tucked into the back corner with a small monitor next to it that blipped steadily with a hopping line. It was steady and slow, calming in a way as he started to walk forward and the closer he got, the more he could see through the dim light.

Kazunari Takao, the Hawk-wing whom seemed to fit him like a puzzle piece, was laying comfortably on his stomach, his limp wings resting on long padded stands so that they rested naturally and his head was gently propped on a thin pillow. A warm blanket covered him till just below his wings and his skin that had been sickly pale when they had arrived, had returned to the cream he had first seen.

He felt like he needed to hold his breath as he pulled up a chair and sat down, afraid to wake him and disturb his peaceful slumber, but he couldn't help reaching out and brushing aside a piece of the raven hair that blocked his face. It was that simple touch that caused Takao's only visible eye to flutter open, but it stayed half lidded as the softest, gentlest smile graced his half hidden lips.

“Hey-” Takao's breath said, lazily blinking his available eye.

“Hey... How're you feeling?” He asked, his voice so soft that every word danced on his exhaled breath.

“Like I got ran over by a transport truck.” Takao said, his soft smile stretching up a bit more with another lazy blink.

Shintarō briefly smiled, but nodded, “I'm a bit sluggish myself.”

Takao's eye blinked so slowly that it nearly didn't open again as Shintarō pushed another lock of hair behind his left ear, revealing that the orange tag had been removed.

“Your tag's gone.” He said, taking his hand back to let Takao rest as much as possible.

“Yeah... It feels kinda weird.” Takao said, gently swallowing as he just laid there, not moving a single muscle.

“It looks better.” Shintarō said quietly.

Takao slowly nodded, “Yeah... How long have I been out?” He asked, his voice sounding tired and drained of all its energy.

“It's been quite a few hours. I just got done talking with Wakamatsu.” Shintarō said softly, gently tugging up the blanket a bit more around Takao's arms to keep him warm.

Takao huffed through his nose, but remained perfectly still, “I'm pretty messed up, huh.”

Shintarō nodded, “Yeah... He says you'll be fine though. You just need rest.” He said, carefully rearranging the IV tube so that it wasn't bunched up beneath the blanket.

Takao lazily blinked again, “I don't think that'll be a problem.” He whispered, as that was as loud as he could make his scratchy voice.

“Good... I need my Hawk-wing, so I wanna see you resting as much as possible.” Shintarō said lowly, tucking another small strand of raven hair behind Takao's ear.

“Ok-” he exhaled and lazily blinked, “Hey, Shin-Chan?... Will you be here the next time I wake up?” Takao asked, his eyelid dropping lower with each lazy breath he took.

“Of course.” Shintarō said, letting his fingers rest in Takao's hair.

Takao's energy was waning fast, and all he could muster was a barely visible nod, his vision blurring as he just looked at him. His slate blue eyes were slowly rolling into the back of his head as sleep drew closer and closer, but he seemed at peace with it since his barely there smile was still in place.

“One more thing.” Shintarō said, leaning in closer to the bed so that Takao's fading vision could see him.

“What is it?” Takao asked, his voice nearly gone completely.

“Don't call me Shin-Chan.” He said, resting his chin on the edge of the bed.

“Never... gonna... stop-”

With that, Takao slipped into blissful sleep, his half hidden lips still gently curved up into a smile as his breathing evened and the monitor that displayed his heart rate softly blipped with its steady rhythm. It was so quiet, so peaceful that his own body began to loll against the bed, his head rolling over to rest against the pillow as the hand he had laced into Takao's hair went limp, resting against his neck. He had been so tense with worry, that he had ignored how exhausted he was and he was so, utterly, undeniably tired that just sitting there, watching Takao sleep, the last of his energy bled off as he drifted away.

“Finally.” Wakamatsu exhaled, standing just inside the tent flaps from having watched the exchange between them.

He reached behind him and untied the apron, pulling it off and tossed it into a hamper in the corner before picking up a folded blanket from the nearest bed. He unfurled it and gently laid it over Shintarō's back, tucking it over his shoulders so he was warm and content and frankly, Wakamatsu wanted to see him resting just as much as Takao. They both were exhausted and the more rest they could get, the better he felt that they would be alright.

After placing the blanket, Wakamatsu went to the monitor on the other side of Takao's bed and tapped a flat button to administer another dose of the strong antibiotic that was battling back the infection before gently rolling the blanket away and picking up an empty vial that sat amongst others on a small tray

“Would you like me to do that?” Asked the nurse, a small Aurora-wing girl with short black hair and ebony colored wings.

Wakamatsu just shook his head as he snapped the vial into place, piercing the rubber top on the vein catheter in Takao's arm to take a blood sample.

“Test his blood every couple of hours. I wanna keep tabs on that infection and make sure it isn't seeping into his bloodstream.” Wakamatsu said as he handed the filled vial to the nurse.

“Of course... What's the timetable for the antibiotics?” She asked, clutching the warm vial in her hand.

“100 milligrams every three hours and take a new sample each time. I don't want that infection sneaking up on us.” Wakamatsu said, tucking Takao's limp arm back underneath the blanket and tucking him in.

“Aye, Sir. I'll let you know if anything changes.” She said quietly before going back to her station.

“Thanks... I'm gonna go report in with Commander Aida, so I'll be back in a bit.” Wakamatsu said, taking one last look at the monitor before heading out of the tent.

Once outside, he closed the flaps, actually zipping it up to give the small infirmary some sort of privacy to let the two sleep before he started to walk away. He was tired from the surgery, but he was relieved that they were at least given some form of good news to counteract the bad. It felt good whenever he could save a life, it always did. He just hoped that it was enough and that given time, Kazunari Takao would join their ranks, happy, healthy and away from The Farm.

He drew in a long breath as he stepped into the operations tent, finding the very person he was looking for, along with Riko and Teppei, all staring up at the monitor that only read with a message.

“What's going on?” Wakamatsu asked, drawing their attention away from the screen.

“Message from Junpei. They've gotta go dark and they don't know for how long.” Riko said, the message winking away as the three went to stand around the map table.

“Kinda figured. The Farm's probably still up in arms that they had a break out.” Wakamatsu said, his brows furrowed as he crossed his arms.

“They are. How's Takao?” Kagetora asked, planting his hands on the map table.

“Resting... They both are, finally. Takao's got a long road though. He's got a lot of healing to do from being active Stock.” Wakamatsu said, drawing in a deep breath to fill his lungs completely.

“I'm glad he's ok, but I've gotta say that with him here, we might actually have a chance at hitting the Stock house.” Teppei said, rolling his shoulders back that softly rustled his wings as he tucked them in closer to his back.

“Teppei's right... We have access to more detailed information.” Riko said quietly.

“You won't be getting it anytime soon. I want him under zero, and I mean zero stress for quite awhile. I don't want those stitches to tear.” Wakamatsu said sternly as he gripped his biceps a bit tighter.

“What all did you have to do?” Kagetora asked, locking gazes with the Aurora-wing.

“I removed quite a bit of the scar tissue that had built up and smoothed out the lining of his rectum before stitching up the tear. He's cathed on both ends and will be until I'm satisfied that the tear's healed up, but on top of that, he has a bacterial infection that was dangerously close to getting into his bloodstream. He's down for awhile and I don't want any of you trying to get answers out of him.” Wakamatsu said sternly as he glared at all three.

“We won't... Will we, Teppei.” Riko said flatly as she shot the Titan a stern glare.

Teppei raised his hands in defense, “Hey... I'm not gonna cross, Wakamatsu. I know better.”

“That doesn't explain why you haven't come by to let me look at your knee in awhile.” Wakamatsu said, his eyes narrowing as he continued to glare.

Teppei cringed, “Uh... It's feels alright?”

“Infirmary tent in an hour.” Wakamatsu scoffed.

Teppei's shoulder's slumped, “Dammit.”

“How long are we looking at?” Kagetora asked, standing up straight to cross his arms.

Wakamatsu shrugged, “Few weeks... And that's just till I'm comfortable taking the caths out and letting him eat real food, which he'll have to start out slow.”

“Why?” Riko asked, furrowing her brows.

“He's noticeably underweight and needs about twenty pounds of muscle packed onto his frame. Problem is, is that his stomach won't be able to handle full meals because they regulated him to that degree. In other words, his stomach shrank. He'll need small meals throughout the day until his stomach returns to normal.” Wakamatsu said, slowly shaking his head to get his point across.

“Jesus... You make it sound like he was days away from death.” Teppei said, releasing a stiff sigh.

“As far as I'm concerned, he was.” Wakamatsu said plainly.

“I'm curious why they risked bringing a Hawk-wing to a Razor-wing.” Riko said, looking over to her father and Teppei.

“I don't think they know the extent of it. I don't think the Humans have any idea what happens when a Razor and a Hawk are compatible. They just wanted us dead, so why bother learning those kinds of intimate details.” Kagetora said, resting his chin on a knuckle.

Wakamatsu's brows furrowed, “Their mistake. By putting those two together and having them compatible like they are, there wasn't a thing the Humans could've done to stop them.”

“What's even more amazing, is that not a single Human was killed. They were all hurt, yes, but not killed.” Riko said, turning her eyes down to the map.

Wakamatsu huffed, “They just wanted out and it almost killed Takao in the process. He's never been free before, so go gentle on him. He's never known anything else and if you blitz him like the others did with Midorima, you're gonna shock the shit out of him.” His voice was firm as he scanned them all.

“We won't. I'm suspending all operations until Kazunari Takao is given the all clear. Just... Just let everyone take a breather and live day to day for a bit. Frankly, I think we could all use it.” Kagetora said in an official tone.

“We'll just monitor the area outside then.” Riko said with a curt nod.

“Good. With that, you're all dismissed.” Kagetora said.

With a curt nod of his own, Wakamatsu turned and left the tent, shortly followed by Riko and Teppei whom turned to head throughout the encampment to spread the word, but stopped when Daiki emerged from his tent with a heavy bag slung over his shoulder.

“Where you going, Aomine?” Teppei asked, briefly glancing down at Riko before looking back up.

“Just moving tents,” he smirked and gripped the back of his neck, “I got evicted.”

“Huh? What for?” Riko asked, her brows furrowing.

“I guess Bakagami's setting up this tent for Midorima and that new kid.” Daiki said, setting his heavy bag down so it wasn't pulling him towards the fire warmed sands.

“Probably for the best. Compatible Razor-wings and Hawk-wings tend to stay by each others side.” Riko said with a half shrug as she crossed her arms.

“Tsk... You make it sound like their boyfriends.” Daiki scoffed, moving his hand to grip the meat of his shoulder.

“She's not far off. Razor-wings are a curious group in that they're ruled by the stars.” Teppei said, deciding to sit down next to the campfire to let his knee settle and warm.

“That explains so fucking much.” Daiki scoffed again as he took a sit for himself on a stump.

“How so?” Riko asked, she too sitting down, but directly on the sands with her wings draped over the log that Teppei was sitting on.

“Growing up, he's always been real heavy into horoscopes and lucky items and all that shit. Almost to an obsessive degree.” Daiki said, his dark navy eyes studying the flames of the warming fire.

“That's a Razor-wing for you, and with no other reason than that it was just something he should do huh.” Riko said, turning just enough to start unwrapping the compression bandage around Teppei's knee.

Daiki nodded, “Yeah.”

“He's having to learn this as he goes, so just be ready for some tense moments. He's trying to figure it out himself.” Riko said as she pulled off the brace and set it down on the log.

“So are... are they lovers, or something?” Daiki asked, cringing at his own question and looking away from the fire.

Teppei leaned back as Riko's hands began to massage his knee, “Depends on them really.”

“I doubt it then. Midorima's gawked at more than a few tits in his day.” Daiki said with a crooked smirk.

“If that's the case, then whomever Midorima falls in love with, will have to be compatible with both of them and accept Takao as Midorima's mistress as it were.” Teppei said bluntly as Riko worked.

Daiki reeled, “Are you kidding me? You're telling me that even though Midorima's straight, I think he's straight... he'll wanna... um... be with Takao?” His cheeks started to burn.

“Wouldn't be the first time. There's another Razor-wing/Hawk-wing pair here of the same sex and they're actually a couple. Took them forever to figure it out, but finally just gave up. Both are attracted to women, but they lay together because they're also attracted to each other.” Riko said, pressing her fingers into the back of Teppei's knee, making him suck in a short lived hiss.

“Boy am I happy that I'm not a Razor-wing.” Daiki shuttered.

“Don't go praising the Wind-wings just yet. You're not without your quirks yourselves.” Riko said with a crooked smirk.

“Huh?” Daiki sat up straighter.

“Wind-wings have short attention spans and it applies to their mating habits as well. It's not uncommon for a Wind-wing to have multiple partners. They're like... oh how do I put this-” Teppei thought as he tapped his chin.

“Harems?” Riko threw in as she wrapped both hands around his knee.

“Yeah! That's it.” Teppei said with a smile.

Daiki's eyes widened, “Jesus-”

“Don't forget the Golden-wings either, Teppei. They like multiple partners at the same time.” Riko said, continuing along with her massage.

“Oh, and the Shadow-wings and Whisper-wings tend to... uh... in the clouds.” Teppei snickered.

“The Emperor-wings are usually arranged.” Riko added.

“Ok! Ok ok ok! Jesus... What about Titans?” Daiki asked, rubbing his cheeks to rid them of the blush.

Teppei immediately started to blush, “Uh... well, you see-”

“Titans actually have to be careful because if they lose control, they can end up crushing their partner on accident.” Riko interrupted him, not even phased by the subject matter.

“Looks like you make it out alright.” Daiki said, sitting up straighter when Riko's eyes widened and her cheeks turned bright red.

“Oh! Uh... we've never... uh-” She yammered.

“No! No no no! We've never... Oh man... Um... We've never-” Even Teppei was flustered to the point where words failed him.

Daiki started to laugh, “Oh man... You should see the looks on your faces.”

“Shut up! Stupid Wind-wings and always sniffing out tension where they're not supposed to.” Teppei grumbled and crossed his arms.

Riko's hands stopped as she sat bolt upright, “What did you just say?”

Teppei went rigid, “Uh... Nothing! Shit! Look at the time! I've gotta go the infirmary tent before Wakamatsu pikes my head, so bye!”

Before Riko could stop him, Teppei was up and gone in a flash, leaving her sitting on the sand with a stunned look on her face. All she could manage to do was watch as he quite stiffly hurried away, not even glancing back at her before disappearing into the infirmary tent with slow, controlled movements. She sighed before dropping her hands into her lap and just looking back towards the fire, closing her eyes for a moment to clear her head before opening them and looking back at Daiki.

“Well, that was interesting.” Riko sighed again while she rubbed the back of her neck.

“What's so interesting about it? I really hope you don't need me to explain it.” Daiki deadpanned as he popped a dark blue brow.

Riko glared, “No... You don't really have to.”

“So what's the deal? Why're you both being stubborn?” Daiki asked bluntly.

Riko's glare heated up, “We aren't being stubborn.” She nearly growled.

“Tsk... Are too. What's the hold up?” Daiki scoffed, not even phased by her glare.

Riko's throat rumbled, but too soon for her liking, her anger ebbed and she sighed as her shoulders slumping in defeat.

“We aren't the same clan.” She admitted lowly.

“So? What does that have to do with anything?” Daiki asked.

“Before the war, everyone found partners within their own clans. It kept everything structured and the clan lines weren't blurred. There was no question what you were destined for because it was so very rare for people from two different clans to be together... Well, a breeding pair that is.” Riko said, shying a bit into her own shoulders as she looked away from the caramel skinned boy.

“How archaic.” Daiki huffed and shook his head.

“That wasn't even twenty years ago.” Riko said.

“Get with it, Aida... There's only 1500 of us left. There are no more boundaries to keep clear, or clan structures to maintain. If we tried to stick with that, we'd die out, or get inbred, or whatever. There's just not enough of us to try and stay pure blooded like that, so if we don't start muddying everything up... we'll finish what the Humans started.” Daiki said, his voice a bit distant as he spoke and looked at her.

Riko forced herself to breath as she sat up straight, opening and closing her mouth as she tried to find the right words to say, but they were gone in the same instant. She wanted to argue, but the more she thought about what to say, the more he made sense. With so few of the them left, if they tried to stick with that infallible structured society, then they would die out and they really would be gone forever.

“M-Maybe you have a point.” She near whispered as she released a long, slow sigh.

“I know I do. You won't find judgment here, because my heart belongs to a Human.” Daiki said.

Riko gasped as her eyes snapped up to meet his, expecting to see him smirking with his joke, but his eyes, his mouth, they were set into hard lines that told her that he wasn't joking.

“Who gives a shit if an Eagle-wing and a Titan are together. At this point, all we can hope for is to be happy.” Daiki said, pushing himself up and swooping down to pick up his heavy duffel.

As Daiki simply walked away, the bag slung over his shoulder once more, Riko was left alone at the campfire completely robbed of the ability to speak. Someone could come up to her and start talking, and all she would be able to do would be to sit and stare with this dumb look on her face. She was finding it impossible to think, so instead of trying, she stood and started padding towards the infirmary tent.

She stopped just outside of it with its zipped flaps and listened, but she couldn't hear anything. It all seemed quiet inside, so taking it slow, she unzipped the flaps and stepped inside.

She was immediately under the gazes of three inside that were conscious, but took a moment to look at the two that were fast sleep in the back corner. Takao was comfortably laying flat on his stomach with a warm blanket up to his wings and Shintarō had rested his head on the bed beside him, softly propped up by the corner of the same pillow. He was covered with a blanket too and the arm that she could see was limply draped of Takao's back. They were sleeping so soundly that she couldn't help, but give it a smile before setting her eyes on Teppei.

He was sitting on a bed with his lower legs dangling over the end, with Wakamatsu sitting on a short stool as he examined the Titan's knee. All was quiet and peaceful, and it stayed that way as she walked up to Teppei's side and wrapped her arms around his head.

Her lips met his hair, their shaggy silky strands tickling the tip of her nose every time she breathed in. He had bathed that morning and his hair still smelt like the plain soaps he used, but it was clean and refreshing. His arm snaked around her waist to hold her close and when he did, her arms tightened around his head and brought his ear to her chest.

He could hear how fast her heart was thumping beneath it, as each pump tapped against his temple in perfect rhythm. It made him smile to feel it, to hear it, and with just a tap to his knee, he opened the only eye he could to see Wakamatsu point towards the opening of the tent before stepping out.

“Is everything ok, Riko?” He asked, his voice nothing more than a whisper as the nurse checked Takao's monitor before stepping out herself.

Riko nodded as she released his head, “Yeah... For the first time I think it really is.” She said just as quietly, her hand brushing down his hair to smooth it down.

“Did something happen?” He asked, pulling his arm back around to rest his hand on her hip.

“Depends on what your definition is.” She said, still in a whisper as she stepped around to his front and sat down on his good leg.

Teppei's breath started to stumbled over itself in his throat as her lithe weight settled in his lap, “R-Riko... Did Aomine say something to you?” He asked, his hand now resting on the small of her back.

Riko nodded, “Yeah, but it's not what you think. He made me see that I've been a fool for pushing you away every time you try to get close.” She said, her fingers playing around with the V necked collar of his shirt.

Teppei lightly gulped, “Riko-” her name left his lungs, “Damn Wind-wings.” He huffed a smile as he took his hand off her back to brush a strand of hair behind her ear.

Riko smiled, “You can't live with them, and you can't live without them.” Her hand fluttered up his chest to brush the back of her fingers over his smooth cheek.

“I'm in love with you.” Teppei blurted out, his heart starting to pound as his eyes lidded themselves while he looked into her sweet gaze.

“I've known ever since I woke up and you were watching over me. I've been too stupid to admit it to myself that maybe... I'm in love you too.” Her throat felt tight as her own eyes began to close and her breath exhale in stuttered waves.

Teppei's hand that tucked aside her hair turned to cup her jaw, his thumb drifting over her cheek so softly that it was almost as if the wind was drifting over her skin. He gulped as he started to lean towards her, but he was so slow that he wasn't sure his head was moving at all.

“I love you, Riko... So much.” He said, his dark eyes glassy and his lips parted with his exhaling breath.

Riko's forehead touched down on his, “I love you too... Teppei.”

His eyelids dropped as he closed the distance between their lips, softly pressing his lips to mold them to hers. They felt like flower petals, satin and silk woven into one and so warm that his spine shivered with heat. He couldn't breath, couldn't force himself to breath and despite their lips not moving, it was the sweetest, warmest and most incredible kiss he had ever had.

When the warmth of her lips pulled away, his eyes began to open, but she was still so close that he could smell her skin and it was just as delightful as tasting the subtle fruit on her lips. He could finally breath again and as he just tried to regain his mind, his thumb stroked her cheek with a touch so soft, that it was like he was touching the most delicate thing ever to exist.

“Will you stay with me tonight? I'm not expecting anything, I just want you near me. I just wanna hold you.” Teppei whispered, tilting his head to dust the tip of his nose against hers.

Riko nodded as she lightly smiled, “Just don't tell my father.”

Teppei's throat began to throttle with a laugh so low, so deep that Riko could feel it in his chest beneath her hand.

“I value my life.”

* * *

 

_**Hyūga: (Comes stomping into the studio and heads straight for Lycanwolff and Shintarō discussing the script) What the hell is this?** _

_**Lycanwolff: What?... Oh! The kiss?... Just a kiss.** _

_**Hyūga: Just a kiss?! Did you read the next few episodes?!** _

_**Lycanwolff: I hope I did... I wrote them.** _

_**Teppei: What's wrong, Junpei?** _

_**Hyūga: You're what's wrong!** _

_**Riko: (Comes over and kisses Hyūga's cheek) Lunch?** _

_**Hyūga: Yeah, ok. (Walks off)** _

_**Lycanwolff: Thank you, Riko!** _

_**Shintarō: I guess I'm not the only one who fumed over the script. (Pushes up glasses)** _

_**Lycanwolff: You good now?** _

_**Shintarō: (Nods) Yes. Thank you. (Looks at watch) You're gonna be late for your production meeting.** _

_**Lycanwolff: (Eyes open wide) Shit! Thanks, Shintarō!... And don't fret! Everything will work out just fine!** _

_**Shintarō: That's what I'm afraid of! (Shakes head as Lycanwolff runs off)** _

_**Takao: Am I gonna be the one to ask her?** _

_**Shintarō: Shut up, Takao!** _

 


	11. Episode 11

**Episode 11**

 

It had been a long few weeks, or a short few weeks; Depending on who you asked. For everyone else, it was a stretch of time that was spent going about their days, letting that very time slip by without so much as a second glance, but for Kōsuke Wakamatsu, it had been a long few weeks of taking care of Kazunari Takao.

It had been a few weeks of heavy care, constant administration of the antibiotics and constant blood taking, but it was all for a good reason. The infection was finally gone and on top of that, Takao was able to sleep on his back, or side, and had been for a week. The pain was gone and now that Wakamatsu had finished his check up, even the catheters were gone and the stitches were dissolving right on time.

“You're healing real nice, Takao. I think we can finally start letting you eat real food.” Wakamatsu said, cleaning up his tools and throwing away trash from the check up.

“Oh, I can't wait. This broth diet sucks.” Takao grinned wide as he settled his basketball shorts onto his hips.

Wakamatsu cracked a lopsided smile, “Don't go crazy. You're stomach won't be able to handle large amounts for a bit, so eat slowly and have small meals throughout the day.“ He said, tossing a wadded up bag of trash into the can on the other side of the tent and making it in.

“I'll take it easy. Plus, I don't think Shin-Chan will let me. He keeps just as close an eye on me as you do.” Takao continued to grin, pulling up the bottom portion of the plain black t-shirt before bending over to slip the top of it over his head.

“Good! You need it. Just to warn you, it might take a couple of days for your system to get back on track, so don't panic if you don't go to the bathroom right away. If you still haven't gone in about four days, we'll take a look and make sure nothing's wrong.” Wakamatsu said, glancing over as Takao adjusted his shirt, frowning at the visible ribs in his sides that rippled his skin.

“Sounds good,” Takao sighed and returned his attention to his shorts that hung almost too loosely, “Anything else?”

“Yeah... Absolutely, under no circumstances, are you to exercise in any way; No flying. No training. No sex.” Wakamatsu said bluntly, pointing his cleaned snake camera at the boy whom stood up straighter.

“Like you really have to tell me twice not to have sex. I've had my fill for a lifetime.” Takao shuttered and ran a hand back over his hair to push it out of his face.

Wakamatsu scoffed, “That's bullshit and you know it.”

“I promise I won't! I just wanna heal and recover for right now.” Takao said with all seriousness, tightening the drawstring in his shorts to make sure they were snug and wouldn't fall off his hips.

“Good. Don't make me hunt you down. It would not take me long to convince Aomine to chase you down.” Wakamatsu said, popping a brow as he glared.

Takao just grinned some more before pushing a headband up onto his head, trapping his hair back and keeping it out of his face. He felt better, lighter and had even gotten to bathe for the first time in weeks that morning. Of course, he had needed help, but that was easily found as Shintarō had helped him walk both to and from the lake, and had even helped to clean his wings. He felt like a he was new in some way, but without having to actually be a new person and as he sucked in a pain free breath, his smile grew.

“Am I good to go?” Takao asked, setting his hands on his hips as he turned to look at the Aurora-wing.

Wakamatsu sighed, but nodded, “I am officially discharging you, Kazunari Takao.”

“Woohoo!” Takao cheered, his arms raising up over his head.

“Easy!”

Takao just beamed as he stepped out of the infirmary tent under his own power, but still taking nice and easy steps as he enjoyed the feeling of the warmed sand between his toes. It was a far cry from the metal of the facility that he had called home for so long, but each step he took that was followed by more soft sand, he could only smile as he took in the encampment.

It was shaping up to be another low key day, and he was perfectly content with that. He liked the quiet, and it helped to keep his mind from wandering back into a place he'd rather not be. People smiled at him as they walked by, waving and greeting him as a friend, but he was barely watching as the one whom was undoubtedly his closest friend walked towards him.

“How'd everything go?” Shintarō asked with a push up of his glasses.

“I am officially discharged, Shin-Chan.” Takao beamed, having to look up a considerable distance to meet his emerald gaze.

“I told you to stop calling me that.” Shintarō said as he turned and started to walk, but made sure to take slow steps so he didn't outpace Takao.

“And I keep telling you I'm never gonna stop. You saved my life, Shin-Chan, so just get used to it.” Takao smiled with a low chuckle as he followed along side.

Shintarō sighed, “How about food? Did you get the all clear?” He glanced down at his friend.

“I did!... But Wakamatsu said to take it easy.” Takao said, interlacing his hands behind his head as he walked.

“Then that's what I'll make sure you do.” Shintarō said, turning left at a campfire to head for the dining tent.

“D'aw, Shin-Chan! You're worse than Wakamatsu is!” Takao whined with an over exaggerated frown.

“Do you want to end up back in the infirmary? I thought you actually wanted to sleep in your own bed.” Shintarō said with a sidelong glance down at him as he froze in his tracks.

“B-Bed?” Takao's face dropped.

“Didn't I tell you?... I'm sure I told you.” Shintarō said, looking up and tapping his chin.

“N-No, Shin-Chan... What bed?” Takao asked, taking the last step to stand next to his tall friend.

“I suppose the cat's out of the bag. Come on... I'll show you.” Shintarō said as he detoured towards the right.

Takao watched him for a moment before starting to walk, only going as fast as he was comfortable with as he followed. They passed a couple of tents before arriving at one with a small handwritten plaque that was stuffed inside a slip of plastic next to the flaps that simply read 'Midorima/Takao'. He felt like holding his breath as Shintarō unzipped the flaps and opened them, but instead of going inside, he simply stepped aside and held them open for him.

“Go on.” Shintarō said lowly.

Takao stood still for a moment, just breathing as his stomach rolled, but he couldn't be sure if it was because he was hungry for real food, or nervous. The gentle flutters were sweeping back and forth like they were caught in a crosswind, but it was a comfort having his friend near as he stepped inside.

He froze in the doorway, stuck staring at the twin beds that were on either side of the tent. Shintarō's was easily identified by the clothes around and under it, which meant that his was on the right. The one on the left was covered in white linens, with a warm comforter over it that looked plush and cozy. There was a fresh pillow and even a trunk for his things at its foot. He had a nightstand, a lamp to read if he wanted, but what made his eyes glassy and ache with pent up emotion, was that it was already made for him and he didn't have earn it.

“I-It's mine?” Takao choked out, finally starting to breath again as he stepped towards his bed.

“Yes... Kagami, Kise, Kuroko... We all had a hand in it while you were in the infirmary.” Shintarō said, stepping inside the tent and letting the flaps fall closed.

Takao swallowed down his building emotion as he set his hand down on the comforter, smiling as it felt like he was touching a puff of cloud. It wasn't the softest thing in the world, but it was his and that's all that mattered.

“S-Shin-Chan-” He couldn't speak, but rather, he shut his mouth when Shintarō stepped towards him.

“Aomine... He even switched tents to move into Akashi's so you could stay here. I hear that the compatible pairs tend to stay together.” Shintarō said, his voice low and vibrating.

Takao dried his eyes on his shirt, “Yeah... We tend to.”

Shintarō's cheeks started to warm, “I uh... I'm having to learn all this on the fly, so um... if I mess up, let me know.”

“As far as I'm concerned, you're doing just fine.” Takao said, tearing his eyes away from Shintarō's as he started to feel a bit self-conscious.

Shintarō rubbed the back of his neck, “Alright... Is there anything else you want for it? I could go see if-”

“It's perfect.” Takao interrupted him, not wanting him to stammer over himself and make the flush in his cheeks worse.

“R-Really?” Shintarō asked, his eyes opening a bit more with a mild reel.

Takao nodded and smiled, “Yeah... I couldn't asked for more-”

Suddenly, Takao's stomach growled with the loudest gurgle ever heard by useful ears, lasting several seconds in its chorus for food. The noise caused both their eyebrows to furrow the longer it went on, but eventually, as both started to laugh, his stomach shut up.

“Oh my god-” Shintarō laughed, covering his mouth to try and stifle it.

Takao snickered, “Oooook then... I guess I'm hungry.” He said through his laughter.

Shintarō nodded to buy him a few more seconds to curb his laughter, “Lets go get something to eat before your stomach decides to sing for us again.” He turned and headed for the flaps.

“What? Don't like the song of its people?” Takao continued to laugh.

Shintarō barked another round of chuckles, but as he watched Takao, his laughter started to vanish as he placed a hand on the small of his back.

“Are you alright?” Shintarō asked, all laughter completely gone from his voice.

“I'm fine... Just an ache from laughing. I'll try to keep my sense of humor under control for a bit longer.” Takao said, still finding it easy to smile as the ache eased up and thumped away steadily.

“I'm glad that you still have one.” Shintarō said with a push up of his glasses.

“Me too.” Takao smiled.

They regarded each other for just a second longer before they resumed their trek through the encampment towards the idea of food. They could already smell it through the aroma of the campfires, and it smelt like slow roasted vegetables that had simmered all day in beef bullion. It instantly made Takao's mouth water at the thought of stuffing dripping mouthfuls of carrots, celery, potatoes and whatever else into his mouth and just the smell made his stomach thunder once more.

As they stepped into the food tent, the smell intensified and Takao had to swipe his mouth dry before be made a fool of himself. He gulped with the idea of getting to eat real food and when the other side turned to see whom had arrived, he was met with nothing, but welcoming smiles.

“Takaocchi! You're out!” Ryōta squealed happily as he set down his knife and tore off his apron to bound up to him.

“Easy, Kise!” Shintarō boomed, but luckily, the bouncing blonde didn't plow into Takao, but instead, just smiled big and clapped his hands together.

“I'm so glad you're alright, Takaocchi! Are you completely better now?” Ryōta asked, setting his hands on his hips.

Takao shook his head, “Not yet, but well on my way. I'm under orders not to go too crazy with the eating.” He lightly shied into his shoulders.

“Good thing it's an easy meal today. Up for some vegetable soup?” Taiga asked from in the makeshift kitchen and happily stirring a huge stock pot.

“Yes... A thousand times, yes.” Takao said with a fast nod.

“What's with all the vegetable dishes? It seems like that's all you're making.” Shintarō said with a crooked frown as he glared at Kagami.

“We're running low on meat, so we're rationing. Vegetable curry is tonight for dinner.” Taiga said, replacing the lid on the stock pot before moving a step over to stir the next.

“Hmm... No hunting parties are being sent out?” Shintarō asked as he rested a hand on Takao's shoulder to coax him further into the tent.

“Commander Aida isn't comfortable sending one out yet. The Farm is still trying to search the area.” Tetsuya said, never stopping his chopping of vegetables.

“Boy... They're butt hurt, aren't they.” Takao said as both he and Ryōta started to giggle.

“Shut up, Takao.” Shintarō rolled his eyes and groaned.

“Huh?... I don't get it.” Daiki raised a brow.

Even Taiga and Tetsuya started to snicker.

“Considering the circumstances, that was a rather well placed joke.” Seijūrō said, cracking a smile at the joke as he peeled potatoes.

Takao shrugged, “Eh... If I can't laugh about it, then they took who I am away and I won't let that happen.” He smiled.

“That's a good way to look at it, Takaocchi.” Ryōta nodded as he planted a hand on Takao's shoulder.

“Thanks.” Takao's smile broadened.

With a final stir of the soup, Taiga picked up a bowl and put a single spoonful in, making sure that there was plenty of vegetable pieces and broth for Takao to enjoy.

“This too much?” Taiga asked, showing the bowl to Takao.

However, as Takao opened his mouth to say more, Shintarō beat him to the punch.

“That's about right.” Shintarō said, pushing up his glasses and not looking at the glare he was receiving from the Hawk-wing.

“Shin-Chan! That's hardly enough for a baby!” Takao whined.

“If you finish that, maybe you can have more.” Shintarō said flatly.

Takao pouted, “Fine.” He huffed as he went to take the bowl.

He was so hungry that he stuffed a massive spoonful into his mouth without a care that it was still piping hot. He had to make a conscious effort to chew the food well before swallowing, but the moment he gulped it down, another spoonful was in his mouth. It felt so good to eat like a real person, that he just wanted to cry, but spoonful after spoonful, he ate until his stomach was so full, he felt like he was going to explode.

“Oh man! That was so good! I'm stuffed!” Takao said, beaming as he rested a hand on his stomach.

“Uh... Takao? Look at your bowl.” Taiga said, pointing at the bowl in his hand with the stirring spoon.

Still with his beaming smile on his face, Takao looked down at the bowl in his hand, expecting to see nothing there at all, but there was about an eighth of his serving left that wiped his smile from his face.

“Oh-” He breathed out as his eyes turned down towards the rug covered floor of the tent.

“It's fine, Takao. It's your first real meal in three weeks. There's no shame in this... There's only shame if you don't keep going.” Shintarō said, stepping up to him and gently taking the bowl from his hands.

Takao looked up at his hands as Shintarō's fingers grazed over them as they took the bowl, setting it down on the metal table that was pulling double duty as a preparation counter, as well as the serving table. Seeing that he hadn't finished the serving only served as a reminder that he was still healing, still recovering from being active Stock and it only served to remind him that he was climbing up.

With a soft sigh, Takao lifted his head and started to smile, seeing that none of the others were frowning, or sad as they looked at him. It was a comfort seeing that they didn't judge him, or blame him, as all they wanted as well was for him to heal and this was just one more step in a line of many.

“You're right, Shin-Chan. I'm sorry.” Takao said as Ryōta's hand came down on his shoulder, drawing his attention.

“You don't have to apologize for healing, Takaocchi. We're all here for you.” Ryōta said, his smile broadening as he took his hand back.

Takao couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face, “I know.”

* * *

 

Despite the aroma of lunch wafting through the encampment, smelling of warmth, Riko and Teppei simply didn't have the energy to move.

Their breath still panted from their lungs as they lay in his bed, naked and barely covered by the sheet. Their skin glistened with sweat in the low light of Teppei's tent and his long fingers gently played with a sweat dampened lock of Riko's hair as she laid her head down on his shoulder and stroked his chest. Both had gentle smiles on their faces and Teppei just couldn't stop himself from admiring the satisfied expression that graced Riko's face.

“You're so cute.” Teppei lowly laughed, pressing his red and swollen lips to her forehead for a still heated kiss.

“Cute isn't exactly the word I would use for my current state of dress.” Riko said lowly, softly humming at the feel of his lips against her skin.

Teppei's lips lingered for another moment before lifting from her skin, “I'm not much better.” He said, running his tongue over his lips to taste her.

Riko lifted her head and placed a kiss to his pectoral, and just the silken feel of it made his skin ripple with gooseflesh. His breath caught in his throat as he bit his bottom lip, trying to stifle a low moan as he started to squirm. Her tongue had started to drift over his skin, fluttering over his nipple before running a hot course to the hollow of his neck. His whole body flushed with an instant cold heat and low in his abdomen began to smolder.

“Careful, Riko... You keep doing that and we're liable for round three.” Teppei growled, his hand that was playing with her hair lacing into it to grip the nape of her neck.

Riko hummed at his words as her bare leg drifted up his large body, bringing her inner thigh to brush against his groin where she smiled and hummed some more. The vibrations sent another chilled wave of heat over his body and Teppei couldn't stop the shiver as his hands started to roam over her skin.

“Nah... I mean it, Riko. If you don't stop-” Teppei's voice trailed off when she started to lick and nip at his neck.

“What if I want round three?” She cooed into his ear, nipping his earlobe to coax him to loll his head over for her.

Teppei gulped as she rolled to straddle him, and just feeling her atop him again made him hiss as his fingers gripped her naked hips. His body wasn't even cooled off yet from their lovemaking and if she didn't stop her ministrations to his neck, he swore he was going to overheat.

“R-Riko... P-Please-... Fuck me, Riko, if you don't stop it's gonna be my turn on top.” Teppei growled, his voice dangerously low as she continued to playfully bite down on the tendon in his neck, feeling his heart pound hard beneath her palms.

Teppei was losing his mind as her hands drifted down his stomach, her fingers drifting over his rippling abs on their slow course down, and just when he was about to take over, a familiar voice startled them and Teppei cupped his hand over Riko's mouth to stifle her squeak just in time.

“Kiyoshi? You in there?” Came Himuro's voice from just outside the zipped flaps of his tent.

“Yeah! What is it?” Teppei asked, gulping down his lust that Riko was at fault for.

“Lunch is ready.” Himuro's voice said.

“Yup... I'll be out in a minute.” Teppei said, barely managing to bite back a squeal as Riko began sucking on his finger.

“What're you doing in there?” Himuro asked.

“Preening! What do you want?” Teppei snapped a bit harsher than he meant to, but with Riko taking his whole pointer finger into her mouth, he was more than a bit distracted to control it.

“Since when do you do that alone and in your tent?” Himuro asked.

“I'm naked! Jesus Christ, Himuro... Sometimes I wanna preen my wings naked. Is that a crime?” Teppei growled, gasping for breath as his head lolled back into his pillow with Riko turning her attention to nipping at his pelvis.

“Alright... Alright. Remember we've got training afterwards though, so don't get too wrapped up in... preening.” Himuro said with a dropped tone in his voice.

Teppei's eyes snapped open wide, “Got it! Yup!... Thanks for the reminder!” His voice squeaked when Riko's tongue grazed over the head of his quickly growing erection.

Himuro just laughed as he crossed his arms and stepped away from the tent, slowly shaking his head as he made his way to the food tent. He was no fool and had listened to Teppei talk enough to know that his mind was most certainly somewhere else and _she_ was most likely doing something so utterly delightful that his brain was left bereft of oxygenated blood.

He rolled his eyes at the thought and shook it from his head as he stepped inside the tent, where others were getting their helpings of the delicious smelling soup from Taiga and Tetsuya, whom had taken it upon themselves to cook for the encampment if at all to let them look forward to their meals. It had raised morale within the camp and every meal time was filled with nothing, but smiles.

“Good afternoon, Himuro-kun.” Tetsuya said with a shallow bow, much like he always did as he handed him a bowl.

“And to you. Make sure to set aside some soup for Kiyoshi and Aida. They're gonna be a bit.” Himuro said, taking his first bite.

“Why? They planning an op?” Taiga asked, pouring another bowl and giving it to Tetsuya to hand out.

“Wrong Aida.” Himuro said simply and with a hop of his only visible eyebrow.

Both Taiga and Tetsuya froze.

“Oh dear.” Tetsuya said with a soft blush in his cheeks.

“What?... I'm lost.” Taiga said, popped a confused brow.

“Nevermind, Kagami-kun.” Tetsuya chuckled as he handed out more bowls.

“Oh come on! Fill me in!” Taiga growled, pouring another bowl.

Tetsuya chuckled while Himuro nearly choked on his mouthful.

“I'll tell you what... Look at Kiyoshi's neck next time you see him. If you still don't get it, then I'll tell you.” Himuro said, only just managing to swallow down his mouthful before he sprayed it out.

Taiga just grumbled to himself as he continued to serve lunch with Tetsuya's help, and all Himuro could manage was some soft laughter as he stepped out of the tent to let the pair work. When they had decided to take over preparing food, it was a genuine joy and as he ate and walked, he smiled as he set his course for the large communal fire in the center of camp.

He sat down on the large long log a few seats away from where Shintarō sat, with Takao sitting on the sands in front of him while he ran deft fingers over the Hawk-wing's feathers. Each pass straightened the thread thin fibers, interlocking them together to prepare the feathers for flight, but he knew very well that Takao was a ways away from flying. He also knew, that the feathers hadn't been preened in three weeks and were in desperate need of it.

“They already look better.” Himuro said, covering his mouth with his hand while he spoke through his food.

“It's taking awhile. Each feather takes multiple swipes to realign the fibers.” Shintarō said, never looking up from the long primary at the end of Takao's wing.

“Naturally. He's been laying on them for three weeks.” Himuro said simply.

“It's been wonderful.” Takao grinned wide, drawing with his finger in the sands between his legs while Shintarō worked.

“Think he'll lose any?” Himuro asked, scraping the last bite from the sides of his bowl.

“It's possible. Who knows how long its been since he's properly preened them.” Shintarō said with a frown, making another pass along the large feather to finally finish with it before moving on to the next.

“Honestly?... This is the first time.” Takao said, his beaming smile fading down into a soft one as he continued to draw.

“Really? You never preened them when you were Stock?” Himuro asked, setting his bowl down next to him and picking at his teeth with his tongue.

Takao shrugged, “Didn't see a need to.” He said, glancing up at the raven haired Raven-wing.

Himuro shook his head, “I'm surprised the Humans just didn't clip you.”

“We weren't allowed outside unless were were tethered, so it never mattered.” Takao said, giving up on drawing to just lean back and enjoy the feeling of fingers along his feathers.

“How come?” Shintarō asked, doing quick, repeated swipes away from the stem to straighten the curl in the fibers.

“Other than the courtyard, there wasn't a need to. There's an underground passageway that leads between the Stock house and the first level of harvest blocks. The Farm didn't want us outside in the main part of the base to be gawked at by possible Studs.” Takao said, drawing in a long breath that was at ease and calm to Shintarō's ears.

“I suppose that makes sense. It would most likely set the more seasoned Studs off.” Himuro said, kicking his legs out in front of him to cross his ankles.

“It does. When Stock is around, the Studs that are just shy of being retired tend to get... violent.” Takao said, tucking his knees into his chest and wrapping his arms around them to rest his chin.

Shintarō shuttered, “I don't really wanna hear about this.” He said, gently lifting an overlapping secondary feather to gain access to the base of the primary.

“Sorry, Shin-Chan.” Takao smiled as he glanced back at him.

“I suppose it'll all come out sooner, or later once the Commander wants information.” Himuro said, threading his hands between his thighs for warmth.

“I suppose, but can't it wait?” Shintarō asked with a brief glance, but never stopping his work.

Takao just smiled crookedly as he glanced back at Shintarō with a popped brow.

“Sure.” Was all Himuro said before more decided to join them.

Ryōta, Atsushi, Daiki and Seijūrō all found spots either on the sand, or on the log, where their partners soon joined them. Kasamatsu dropped down on the log behind Ryōta where he snatched a wing and began to preen, while Wakamatsu literally shoved Daiki to sit down so he would have an easier time checking the muscle along his wings to make sure they were in good health. A young Eagle-wing girl had quite happily begun to smooth the small down feathers along Seijūrō's red wings, but when it came to Atsushi, Himuro found himself being poked repeatedly in the shoulder with a long finger.

“Lets spar.” The massive Titan said dully, continuing to jab his finger into Himuro's shoulder hard enough to push him over.

“In a bit. It's lunch time.” Himuro said, planting a hand down on the log to keep him from falling.

“No... Now.” Atsushi said with more poking.

“Must you, Atsushi?” Himuro said with a sidelong glare upwards.

“Spar.” Atsushi said.

“No.”

“Spar!”

“I said no, Atsushi, now go sit and relax. I'll preen your wings if it'll help.” Himuro said with a gentle smile on his face.

Somehow, the poking stopped as Atsushi thought it over, his wide shoulders slumped forward and his mouth tilted to one side. His nose wiggled as he glanced at a wing, unfurling it a bit to examine the state of his feathers and even he could see that there were more than a few fibers that were curled, or split. That's when he remembered that he hadn't done it himself since his bath that morning.

“Ok... But spar afterwards.” Atsushi said lazily as he plopped down on the sand in front of Himuro.

Himuro breathed a sigh of relief as he sat up straight and grasped Atsushi's left wing, and even he had to admit that it weighed a ton. There was so much wing that the task of preening the feathers seemed monumental, but the more Himuro looked around the group, the calmer he seemed to feel about it.

The Seven Sons of the Seven Kings had all found partners, him included in the form of Atsushi Murasakibara; The purple Titan that was even larger than Teppei Kiyoshi. He had partnered with that one for so long, that it was natural, but at night, he always wondered if he was destined for more. Before the Sevens Sons arrived, he thought he would never know, but now, sitting around the large fire, preening the feathers of the giant in front of him, he felt like he had found his calling.

With a soft exhale, Tatsuya Himuro grasped a lavender feather and began to enjoy the conversation around the fire.

* * *

 

The whole of the camp was asleep, with the only sound being that of the fires outside. They were calm and provided just enough noise to rid his ears of silence and every night he was always quick to find slumber; Except for this night where the fire was not what he was listening to.

It was the first night where Kazunari Takao wasn't in the infirmary, and it was the first night he was hearing the soft moans coming from the bed on the other side of their shared tent. They weren't soft moans of pleasure, or simple moans from each exhale, they were scared moans, whimpers that told Shintarō that Takao was having a nightmare.

Shintarō laid awake in his bed while he listened, how Takao tossed and turned, whimpered, only to toss and turn some more. In the low light, he could see the pained grimace across his face and the sweat building over his brow, but he didn't know what to do. Takao's hands gripped the blankets as if he was trying to find something real, something solid to hold onto, but the whimpers continued as his breathing quickened to make those very whimpers sound as if he was crying.

Seeing the barely visible glint of a tear crawl from the corner of Takao's eye, Shintarō sat up, but continued to watch as he racked his brain on what to do. Hearing those soft sounds made his heart ache and he didn't know why, but every time Takao whimpered he couldn't stop from clutching at his heart. It caused him just as much pain and all he wanted, was for it to stop; For Takao to rest and stop.

Tossing aside his blankets, Shintarō planted his feet on the rug and stood, padding over to the other bed where Takao's head was whipping from side to side with more whimpers and quickened breaths. Being closer, he could see that he was crying and as the tears began to stain his pillow, Shintarō couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't ignore the pull.

He held his breath as his shaky hand reached out and grabbed the blankets, pulling them aside before slipping into the bed beside him. He never awoke as Shintarō covered them both and as his arm threaded beneath Takao's writhing form, he pulled him in close and held him in a warm embrace.

“Ssh-... It's ok. You're safe.” Shintarō whispered so lowly, that he wasn't sure the words came out at all as he brushed his hand down Takao's hair over and over.

Takao's whimpers slowed and he unconsciously curled into Shintarō's chest, burying his face as he continued to lightly shake. He seemed to be calming down the closer he held him, and as his lips came down on top of Takao's head, pressing a soft kiss to his hair, the whimpers stopped.

“It's ok... You're safe here.” Shintarō whispered again, interlacing his fingers into Takao's hair on the back of his head.

“I know.” Came Takao's muffled voice, his hot breath drifting over the skin of his chest.

“Then why are you having a nightmare?” Shintarō asked, pulling away just enough to look into Takao's still half lidded eyes.

“I always have this nightmare.” Takao said, curling his arms into his own chest to bite his fingernail.

“Of what?” Shintarō asked, brushing his hand down Takao's hair some more.

Takao's sad eyes shifted up to meet his as another tear crawled free, “I-It's of my first time when I was brought to a Stud. It haunts me every night.” His voice shook as he lolled his head down against Shintarō's arm.

“Tell me... Please.” Shintarō said softly.

Another tear, “T-There was a Stud who was about to retire, but he was loyal and worked hard. It was supposed to be his last time being milked, so Hanamiya wanted to reward his good behavior by letting him choose his Stock. He had us all readied and prepped before he paraded us in front of him. We were naked and chained together in a line so he could see us and after a short minute... He picked me.” Takao explained, starting to shaking again as a whimper left his throat.

Shintarō just stayed quiet as he continued to caress Takao's hair, pulling him in close to hold him and reassure him that he was safe as he continued.

“He was a Titan and at first, he was really nice. I was terrified about what was gonna happen, but he told me to relax and promised me he'd be gentle. I believed him, but when he started... T-That's when it happened.” Takao started to cry against Shintarō's chest.

Shintarō closed his eyes as he pressed his lips to Takao's hair again, stroking down the raven locks and tightening his hold.

“He was so rough... He grabbed my wings to use them as leverage and he pulled so hard that he dislocated them... I screamed for help, but no one came. He gripped me so hard that his hands broke four ribs, fractured my pelvis and he tore me open with how hard he was going. When he came, it was so much that even though the bag closed it spilled out anyways. I was bleeding so bad and then he dropped me on the floor as if I was garbage and just said thanks. I spent a month in the medical bays recovering and I found out later that he'd been killed afterwards because Hanamiya was angry that he hurt one of his Stock.” He continued to cry, covering his face with his hands to hide it from Shintarō's eyes.

Shintarō was suddenly raging with anger, but he had to swallow it, had to keep it it down as he comforted Takao, holding him as close as he wanted and not even daring to resist when Takao's leg threaded between his just to get closer. He just held him as he cried, his lips still pressed to his hair, but he couldn't deny that his own eyes stung. He wanted to take away this pain, this torment of constant reminding and he was quickly becoming aware that he'd do anything to make it happen.

“What do you want me to do?” Shintarō asked, gently pushing Takao's head up so he could see his face.

There were so many tears that his face was soaked, but with a soft sniffle, his sobs began to slow.

“Stay with me... Please?” He asked with a few hopping breaths before licking the tears from his lips.

Somehow, Takao's words lifted his heart and before he knew what he was doing, he had bowed his head, bringing his lips to Takao's cheekbone where he kissed away a tear. He felt him nuzzle against the touch, brushing his face against his own and the softest of whimpers left his slightly parted lips.

“I don't understand what's going on, but I can't say no. This... Being this close should repulse me, but... I can't bring myself to step away.” Shintarō said, his breath drifting over the spot he just kissed as Takao's arm reached around his side to hold him in return.

“You and me are in the same boat. It's not like there's anyone we can ask.” Takao said, his sobs stopped and his breathing evened.

“Then we'll figure it out together, but I won't leave you tonight. You rest and have no more nightmares.” Shintarō said as he brought Takao's head back to his chest and got comfortable.

“I think that maybe tonight, I really won't.” Takao whispered before settling in.

The warmth of having Shintarō laying with him, holding him and with his soft exhales drifting over his hair, he had never felt so safe before. He was awash with feelings he didn't understand, but when the obnoxiously tall, green-haired boy was with him, he felt like he didn't need answers. It was so settling, so calming, that for the first time in what was now seven months, he drifted off into a blissfully, dreamless sleep.

* * *

 

_**Teppei: (Clears throat) So um... Riko... I hope we aren't awkward now.** _

_**Riko: Naw. We're good, Teppei... Not like we haven't done that before.** _

_**Teppei: (Blushes hard) Um... Yeah, I know, but-** _

_**Riko: I promise, we're fine.** _

_**Kagetora: Kiyoshi!** _

_**Teppei: Gotta go! (Runs)** _

_**Riko: Don't hurt him, Dad! (Chases)** _

_**Lycanwolff: (Chuckles) And I thought Kagetora agreed to this beforehand.** _

_**Shintarō: He agreed to that?** _

_**Lycanwolff: (Nods) Yeah.** _

_**Shintarō: Do I even want to know how you managed to convince him?** _

_**Lycanwolff: Promised I wouldn't show Teppei sliding into home? (Grins)** _

_**Shintarō: And that worked?** _

_**Lycanwolff: (Nods) Hey, I changed your script didn't I? (Backhands chest)** _

_**Shintarō: (Pushes up glasses) Which I appreciate.** _

_**Lycanwolff: Good. (Smiles and heads off)** _

_**Pretty much everyone on set: We are all so shipping this.** _

_**Shintarō: Shut up! All of you!** _

 


	12. Episode 12

**Episode 12**

 

It had been a week of the most restful nights he had had in a long time. Each night, they slept, just slept in each others arms where every night since, the nightmares never came. He felt like his mind was finally starting to clear, leaving the only thing left to rid him of any evidence of what he'd lived through, being that of his thin, almost sickly figure.

Kazunari Takao stood in his and Shintarō's tent, staring at a full length mirror that hung in the back with only a pair of simple shorts on. He just stood there staring at his torso, how his ribs rippled his sides and how sunken his chest looked. His abs just weren't there, leaving his stomach completely flat and even his hips were far more rounded than they should be.

With a heavy sigh, he ran his hands down his torso as he turned to the side, frowning at how thin he was, but when a second set of far larger hands appeared and ran down his thin arms, that frown faded in an instant.

“Don't think I didn't see that frown, Takao.” Shintarō said, his hands not stopping until they covered Takao's resting on his stomach.

He opened his mouth to try and protest, but feeling Shintarō's warmth against his bare back forced any protest from his mind. He sighed a pleasant smile as he looked up to meet the emerald gaze and seeing what almost looked like admiration flash across their surface through his glasses, made his heart skip.

“I'm just not happy with what I see is all.” Takao said, looking back to the mirror to see the pair of them looking back.

“It's not your fault. This was done to you.” He said, turning Takao to fully face the mirror with him over a head taller as he scanned his form.

“I know... I'm just very ready for it to be gone.” Takao said, smiling at their hands resting on his stomach before flicking his eyes up to meet Shintarō's in the mirror.

“That's why I'm here. Wakamatsu cleared you to start training.” Shintarō said, stepping away and letting his hands drift over skin until Kazunari was out of reach.

Takao's eyes flashed open as he wheeled around, “Seriously? We can finally start?” He started to smile wide.

Shintarō nodded as he pushed up his glasses, “Yes. I came to get you so we can start teaching you how to fly.”

“Yay! I can't wait! Are we going outside? Is it cold? Should I wear a sweater?” Takao rattled off as he hurried to his bed to start rummaging through what few clothes he had, given to him by several others that were around his size.

Shintarō tried not to laugh, but his throat rumbled anyways, “Just a t-shirt and no, we're staying inside. We'll be teaching you how to lift off and land to start off with.”

Despite that, Takao was ecstatic as he grabbed a black t-shirt that pulled over his head before starting to try and tie the back closed beneath his wings, but he wasn't nearly as well versed in it as Shintarō was. His hands were soon swatted away as he took over, easily and quickly threading the long lace through its holes until it was snug and tied it in a perfect bow that rested against Takao's tailbone.

“Now come on... The others are waiting.” Shintarō said, placing his hand on the small of Takao's back to lead him from the tent.

However, as soon as they stepped out, Takao started to bound for the arena, near skipping with excitement as he flipped his hair up into a headband to keep it out of his face. He could see the others all waiting, from Riko and Teppei to Taiga, Tetsuya and all the way to Himuro. They were all there in a rainbow of colors and all were waiting to teach him how to fly.

“There you are! We've only been waiting for ten minutes!” Kasamatsu growled, crossing his arms as he glared, but was soon tackled and wrestled when Ryōta grabbed his head and started grinding his knuckles into his hair.

“Relax! It's his first day, Senpai!” Ryōta beamed, but grunted when Kasamatsu jabbed an elbow into his gut.

“Get off, you spacey-ass, Golden-wing!” Kasamatsu howled as everyone around them laughed.

Takao chuckled as he and Shintarō stepped into the arena and headed for the group as they spread out a bit, giving each other some space that was large enough for them all to spread their wings. Shintarō lead him to stand in the middle of the group, but instead of finding a spot amongst the ranks, he stayed by his side.

“Now... First thing's first. This is the hardest part of learning how to fly and it's gonna be more difficult for you because you lack the muscle mass.” Riko began, briefly glancing at Teppei before looking back to the pair in the center.

Takao just nodded and waited.

“The initial downbeat is the most important and the larger you are, the more strength that's needed to lift off the ground. Kuroko will have a much easier time than Murasakibara ever will.” Shintarō said as he turned to look at the smallest of them with sky blue wings that were fully healed.

As Takao set his slate blue eyes on Tetsuya, his much smaller wings spread and raised high, but he made it look easy as he thrust them down and lifted off the ground where he stayed in a hover. The beats were soft, even yet strong, but they didn't look any more powerful than a normal beat.

“Now you try. Try to use the same power he did.” Shintarō said, taking a step back.

Takao nodded as he drew in a deep breath and spread his wings that were noticeably larger than Tetsuya's. He gave them a couple sweeps to loosen them up before raising them high in the same manner and giving them a firm downbeat, but his feet didn't leave the sand. The only thing he felt was a slight drop in his weight as if he was in an elevator that was going down.

“See? Despite being underweight, you're still too big to lift off with the same power. On the flip side, you won't need nearly as much power as Murasakibara. His downbeats would launch you skyward like a rocket.” Shintarō said with a point at the large purple Titan.

With a roll of his shoulders, Atsushi's twenty foot wingspan stretched wide. They were huge with long feathers that were nearly as long as his wings and when he brought them down for his downbeat, the wind they produced caught him off guard.

The sound they made was loud and powerful as they flapped, sweeping in front of him as they continued to raise him into the air. He didn't stop until he was almost thirty feet up where he hovered with huge arcs of his wings before he finally started to drift down.

“You won't need that much power. You're gonna be right in the middle... Akashi?” Shintarō sent a curt nod to the Emperor-wing with bright red hair and wings.

Seijūrō took a step forward as he raised his wings, revealing that his were nearly the same size as his. His keen eyes that were so good at picking out targets and distances and speeds had no trouble in seeing how much power the redhead used as he downbeat and easily lifted off the sand.

“I think I understand, Shin-Chan. Can I try?” Takao asked, rolling his shoulders a bit before giving his wings a shake.

All Shintarō did was cross his arms and nod, watching as Takao gave his wings several downbeats with close to the same power as Akashi's. He could see that each one came closer and closer to lifting his feet from the ground, but they were just a hair shy of being enough.

“More power, Takao! Just a bit more!” Shintarō called to him, having taken a spot nearby amongst the others as they watched.

Takao grit his teeth together as he downbeat his wings a bit harder, ignoring the scream in his weak muscles as he tried. He wanted to take to wing on his own, wanted to experience the rush of lifting off the ground under his own power instead of being thrown over the side of a cliff. Even though it had worked, he wanted to be responsible for every aspect of flying and as he continued to downbeat, adding more power each time, his feet started to lift.

“Good! Keep at it, Takao! Don't stop!” Shintarō ordered, his arms staying crossed as his own large emerald wings began to lift him up.

As Takao continued to downbeat, the others did as well, all of them lifting off the ground with ease to join him in his hover. He couldn't help, but smile at just how easy it was for them, how magnificent they looked with each downbeat no matter whom they were; They all looked elegant. For him, it took so much power to maintain his weak hover and as he met Shintarō's gaze with the 'well done' soft smile on his face, Takao's muscles couldn't do it anymore.

He started to fall, but in a matter of no more than a second, Shintarō was there and caught him before he hit the sand. He wrapped his arms around his neck and held on as Shintarō lowered him to the sand, but his wings just hung there, tired from their efforts of trying to lift his weight for the first time.

“That's a lot harder than I thought.” Takao panted, his bare feet gently touching down on the sand.

“You did fine. You got off the ground and that's the hardest part.” Shintarō said, unwinding his arms from around him to let him stand on his own.

Back on the sand, everyone around him set down as well where he noticed that his heart was thundering from the exertion. He needed a lot of work to get strong enough, to get better, and as he picked up his wings and shook them to try again, he smiled.

“Lets do it again.”

As the others watched Takao begin to downbeat once more, Daiki just smirked and watched as Shintarō directed him and helped him to steady himself on his own wings. For sixteen years he had seen his brother act like the biggest tsundere in existence, how he was always standoffish, or blunt to the point of being rude. Girls adored him for it, but he always managed to push them away because none could handle his crap, but when it came down to this kid, this Kazunari Takao, Shintarō's usual brand of nonesense didn't work. He wasn't phased by his bluntness, wasn't turned away by the rough edges, and that's because there weren't any. When it came to Kazunari Takao, Shintarō Midorima was like a whole different person.

Huffing a crooked smirk, Daiki drew in a deep breath, but instantly wished he hadn't as it was laced with what he considered a fowl stench. It smelt like a mixture of sweaty boy, ozone and a pungent tang and it actually hung on the back of his tongue, making him mildly gag.

“Oh, Jesus Christ... What the hell!” Daiki growled, coughing out the stench he had accidentally inhaled.

“What?” Teppei asked, standing right next to him and watching the teachings in the center of the group.

“You don't smell that? Goddamn... It smells like I just walked into a locker room.” Daiki hissed, waving his hand in front of his face with the hope of ridding the smell.

“What? I don't smell anything.” Teppei said, taking a few sniffs of the air, only to smell campfire.

“How can you not?... Wait... Is that you?” Daiki's upper lip curled as he regrettably took another deep inhale and leaned in closer to the large Titan.

Teppei stood up straighter as he eyeballed Daiki, his brows furrowing as he instantly started to cough his sinuses clear.

“Kiyoshi! I swear to god, you smell awful!” Daiki howled, beginning to draw attention from the others.

“I what? How? I bathed this morning!” Teppei quickly defended himself, smelling his arm, but only smelling his soaps.

“Ugh! You smell like a porno! Goddamn, Dude!” Daiki gagged a bit more as he took a sidestep to get away from the scent.

Teppei's eyes snapped wide open as he shot Riko a worried glance, but when Daiki reached the other side of the group, thinking that the air would clear, the smell changed to more sweaty boy, but it was laced with an earthy musk and pine.

“What? Did all of you forget to take a bath?... Shin! That's you! Why the hell do you smell like pine and musk?” Daiki roared, whooshing his wings with the desperate hope of clearing the air.

“Huh? What are you talking about?” Shintarō asked with furrowed brows as he pushed up his glasses.

“You stink!” Daiki growled.

“Aomine... I think you're losing your mind-” Taiga tried, only to come under Daiki's furious glare.

“I am not! I swear to god, Midorima smells like a moldy gym bag someone tried to cover up with air freshener and Kiyoshi reeks of sex! How can you not smell that!” Daiki grit his teeth together as this time, when he drew in a breath, he got both gross scents that made him plug his nose.

“Uh... Maybe you should go somewhere else, Aomine... Like to the infirmary tent.” Teppei said, his eyes still a bit worried as he glanced down at Riko once more.

“Why? I'm not sick!” Daiki spat.

“No, it's so Wakamatsu can explain it.” Teppei said flatly.

“What? Explain-” his brain clicked, “Oh goddammit! Are you telling me this is a Wind-wing thing?” Daiki's shoulders slumped.

“Yeah... Just go.” Riko said.

With a harsh, throat rumbling growl, Daiki stormed off, each step taking him away from the horrid stench that clung to the back of his tongue. He started to smell campfires, and he sucked in huge lungfuls of the smell, but as he passed people by, more smells started to waft into his nose.

There was flowers, the smell of warm sugar, more sweaty boy laced with campfire and musk that made Daiki frown. There was plain ozone and even the smell of freshly cut grass oddly enough and it was so much input into his sinuses that he was starting to get a headache.

“Wakamatsu! Why in all the fucks am I smelling, literally, all the fucks?” Daiki boom as he burst into the infirmary tent without a care, just hoping to have clear air.

“Huh?... Oh... Oh! Wow... I was wondering when that was gonna kick in. You're at the right age for it.” Wakamatsu said, having been startled while he worked on the laptop that housed everyone's small medical files that he was compiling.

“What? What're you talking about?” Daiki sneered and crossed his arms.

“Your olfactory senses. They're unique to Wind-wings in that you can pick up pheromone changes once you reach around 15... 16 years old.” Wakamatsu said as if it was no big deal.

“Pheromone changes! You mean Kiyoshi smells like hot sex because he's _having_ hot sex!” Daiki howled as his arms dropped to his sides and his fists clenched.

“Did you happen to smell Riko Aida too?” Wakamatsu asked as he simply returned to work.

“No!” Daiki snapped.

“What else did you smell?” Wakamatsu asked without looking up from the laptop.

“Seriously?” Daiki near squeaked.

Wakamatsu nodded while Daiki pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Um... Sweaty boy, musk and pine. That was Midorima.” Daiki grumbled as he shuttered.

“Was he standing next to Takao?” Wakamatsu asked plainly.

“Oh, hell no! Are you telling me that... that... that... Those two!” Daiki's skin started to pale.

“No... That would smell like hot sex like you smelled on Kiyoshi. You're smelling familiarity pheromones between those two.” Wakamatsu said as he typed a few things on the laptop.

The vein in Daiki's forehead started to throb, “Why?... Why am I smelling that? I don't want to smell that!” His throat rumbled.

“Can't be helped. All Wind-wings can smell pheromone changes. How else do you think they collect their harems with mates that won't kill each other?” Wakamatsu asked, shooting Daiki a sidelong glance.

Daiki stood up stick straight, “I... I'm not trying to collect a harem! Make this shit go away! It's gross!” His voice squeaked again.

“I can't, and don't fret so much. It'll go away on its own in a day, or so once their scent levels out. Out of curiosity and to make sure it wasn't just Kiyoshi smelling, was he standing next to Aida?” Wakamatsu asked, closing his laptop and turning to face Daiki with his hip leaned up against the small, stand only table.

Daiki just nodded.

“Got it... Yeah, they've been at it for a little over a week now. I'm hoping they level out here soon.” Wakamatsu rolled his eyes as he started to straighten up around the tent.

“You can smell it too?” Daiki asked, his scowl softening as he plopped down heavily onto the foot of the nearest bed.

“To an extent, but not to your level. For the Aurora-wings, it's mainly to help determine an ailment, so it's not as pronounced.” Wakamatsu said, putting a few tools away in the standalone cabinet as his pale tan wings rustled.

Daiki dropped his head into his hands, “Ugh... Ok, tell me this then; What happens if I don't want a harem? What happens if I just want one?”

“That's up to you. It's happened before where a Wind-wing has only taken one mate, but they don't tend to last.” Wakamatsu said.

Daiki's heart started to sink, “So what?... I'm destined to be a slut?”

Wakamatsu chuckled, “No... You certainly don't have to be. I'll use my parents for an example. My father and mother were together for... twenty years?... Yeah, twenty years before they died.”

“W-What? Wait... What?” Daiki blinked.

“My mother was an Aurora-wing, but my father was a Wind-wing.” Wakamatsu said with a crooked smile.

“What? You're half Wind-wing?... And you weren't born at one of those bases?” Daiki reeled as he shot to his feet.

“I'm half Wind-wing in the fact that my olfactory is a bit more developed than a normal Aurora-wing, and that I can fly just a bit faster, and no... I was captured.” Wakamatsu said as his smirk started to fade.

“What happened to your parents?” Daiki asked, finding that all his anger was gone, just like the scents in his sinuses.

“They were killed trying to protect me. We were found out when we were living on the outskirts of a small village in one of the southern regions.” Wakamatsu said before returning to straightening up just to give his hands something to do.

“Oh, dude... I'm... I'm sorry.” Daiki said with a drop in his shoulders.

“Don't be... What's done is done. Only thing I can do now is help people here and hope we make it.” Wakamatsu said, closing the drawer he was working on to open the next.

“Why do you not sound so sure?” Daiki asked, just watching and standing still.

“Our outcomes are never for certain. We can fight fate, but sometimes, fate just wins. Midorima and Takao are proof of that.” Wakamatsu said, shooting Daiki a quick glance.

“How so?” Daiki asked.

“Think about it; Both are straight males, yet both cling to each other as if they're relationship goes deeper, and in a way, it does. Yes, they're straight, but they're each others' exception.” Wakamatsu said as he organized the drawer.

Daiki's eyes opened wider, “That's... yeah.”

“Just remember this; Where there's a will, there's a way. Those two will figure it out one day, but I've done all I can do and that was save Takao's ass.” Wakamatsu said without realizing what he had said.

However, Daiki did as he started to laugh, covering his mouth in a weak attempt to hide it. It earned him a furrowed brow glare from the Aurora-wing, but it soon faded as his brain clicked.

“Oh, hell... I didn't mean it like that.” Wakamatsu sighed and hung his head.

Daiki couldn't talk, let alone stop laughing as he sat down and fell back, holding his stomach from how hard he was laughing.

“Shut up, Aomine! That wasn't meant to be a joke!” Wakamatsu started to fume and glare.

The more Daiki laughed, the more the vein in his forehead pulsed and the more Daiki laughed, the more his fists clenched.

“Can it, Aomine! I didn't mean it like that, so shut the hell up!” Wakamatsu boomed.

“Oh man! That was funny!” Daiki howled through his laughter, rolling onto his side as he slapped the bed.

“I hate you! You are so aggravating!” Wakamatsu snarled as he threw a pillow at Daiki that hit him in the back.

“Oh come on! You do not! You love me!” Daiki continued to laugh as he pushed himself up and tried to breathe.

“Hardly! I'd kill you myself if the Commander wouldn't kill me right back!” Wakamatsu growled as he forcefully shut the drawer and stomped over towards Daiki.

As the noises of the two getting into a fight filtered out into the encampment, those walking by couldn't help, but chuckle, especially the pair whom had just come from the arena to let Shintarō teach in peace.

“Sounds like Wakamatsu and Aomine get along swimmingly.” Himuro chuckled with a quick sweep on his long bangs over his left eye.

“Mine-Chin always pushes peoples' buttons. His give-a-shit level is usually pretty low.” Atsushi said with a firm monotone as he walked alongside Tatsuya passed the tent.

“Honestly?... Wakamatsu needs it sometimes. He's always so worried with our well-being; He needs to relax.” Himuro said, drawing in a long, deep breath that rose him up to his full height, only barely reaching Atsushi's shoulders.

Himuro glanced up at the monolithic Titan to just see him nod as they continued to walk, but when a particularly loud crash came from the infirmary tent, they both stopped and eyeballed the flaps.

Whatever was going on in there, Wakamatsu and Aomine were at each others throats, and that was suddenly confirmed when the flaps of the tent burst open and those very two fell out with their hands around each others necks. Both Atsushi and Tatsuya jumped from the suddenness, but when Daiki's foot came down hard on the sand to steady himself before he fell into a fire, it landed smack on top of Atsushi's primaries.

“Mine-Chin! Get off!” Atsushi howled as he instantly yanked his left wing to get the trapped feathers out from underneath Daiki's foot.

Between the heavy weight standing on top of the feathers, and the strong yank, it was only because of the sand that some weren't pulled out, but when his trapped wing was free, Atsushi frowned hard.

“Mine-Chin! Look what you did!” Atsushi roared as his two giant hands came down on both their shoulders and pulled them apart.

It took Wakamatsu and Daiki a few seconds to realize that they weren't standing on the ground anymore as they tried to keep fighting, but when they suddenly found themselves dangling off the ground by their shirts and under the Titan's furious glare, they froze with eyes wide.

“Look!” Atsushi barked as he arced his left wing into their few.

Their scared eyes shifted over to look at the purple feathers, and the spot where Daiki's foot landed was mangled and embedded with sand. The fibers that were supposed to be connected where split, some were crinkled and the sand was going to have to be combed away; A job that Atsushi very much wasn't looking forward too.

“Now I have to have them preened again! I just did it! This is your fault, Mine-Chin!” Atsushi snarled, his teeth grit together as he fumed at the pair.

“This is it... This is how it ends.” Daiki gulped, staring wide eyed at the terrifying Titan before looking back at Wakamatsu whom had the same frozen expression on his face.

“Now now, Atsushi... Don't go killing off our resident doctor.” Himuro said, his mouth quirked up into a soft smile as he eyeballed the pair and crossed his arms.

“Hey! What about me?” Daiki yelped.

“I'll crush you.” Atsushi growled low.

“Oh, relax, Atsushi. Let them go and I'll fix your wing.” Himuro said with a soft backhand to Atsushi's thick arm.

“But Mine-Chin crunched my feathers.” Atsushi's eyes narrowed as he glared hard at Daiki still dangling in his grasp.

“I have a sucker for you.” Himuro sang.

His brows furrowed even harder as he continued to glare, but after a few tense moments, he opened his hands and let the pair drop back down onto their feet.

“You're lucky Muro-Chin's so nice. Otherwise, it would be a wing for a wing.” Atsushi snarled as he cracked his knuckles.

“I'm out! Peace!” Daiki ran off, not wanting to stick around any longer, or risk the Titan's fury.

“Me too!” Wakamatsu squeaked before scurrying off.

Atsushi growled a bit more before looking down at his wing, his brows softening as his shoulders slumped. He had just preened them no more than a day ago, and now, he was going to have to spend a sizable chunk of time plucking grains of sand and streamlining the fibers.

“Stupid Mine-Chin.” Atsushi huffed, giving his wing a quick shake to let some of the sand fall off.

“Go sit by the large fire and I'll be right there. I'm gonna grab my preening kit.” Himuro said, still softly smiling, but slowly shaking his head at the rather childish pout on the Titan's face.

Atsushi just sighed and started off, somewhat stomping his large feet in the sand with his irritation. He arced the offending wing around and started plucking bits of sand as he walked, but his fingers were just too big. The more he tried, the more his throat rumbled with an irritated growl, and as he reached the large central bonfire that was warm, he gave up and plopped down with a huff.

It was only a moment before Himuro arrived, carrying a soft, medium sized black case that he sat down on the log before taking a seat behind Atsushi whom was sitting like a petulant child. He opened the case and instead of grabbing the ultra fine feather comb, he picked up a candy sucker.

“Here. This should help perk you up.” Himuro said as he handed Atsushi the sucker that he immediately took.

With a smooth tear, he pulled off the wrapper and stuck it in his mouth while Himuro started to work on fixing his wing. If the worst was needing to rid his feathers of sand, he couldn't really be angry, as it could have been a whole lot worse. He could have lost a feather, which would have grounded him for some time while it grew back, or it could have broken and he would need to have it plucked which would put him into the same boat. He hated having a feather plucked, especially a flight feather, as that was the largest and when he had been forced to bind his wings, he had had to have it done on more than one occasion because the feather was too damaged to repair. He would live with some sand and preening.

As Himuro worked, Atsushi enjoyed the sucker, but every time he moved the sucker and parted his lips, a lock of purple hair immediately stuffed itself into his mouth. He would rasp his lips together to get rid of it, but his hair was persistent in that apparently, it just wanted to be in his mouth.

“Eh... Stop it, hair.” Atsushi grumbled, sweeping his fingers across his forehead to push the long, purple locks away from his mouth.

However, the thick lock that persisted in hanging over his nose refused to stay and the moment he took his hand away, it went right back to hanging in front of his face. Atsushi took the sucker out and puffed air out through his mouth, hoping to blow it away, but the hair was just too stubborn. It was staying put.

“Having trouble?” Himuro lightly snickered as he gently combed the grains of sand out from Atsushi's feathers.

“I need a haircut. Candies don't taste good with hair.” Atsushi said dully as he raked a hand back over his hair to leave his hand on top in an attempt to keep the lock where he wanted it.

Himuro set down the feather comb and dug around in the black case, finding a rigid headband towards the bottom that he pulled out and tapped Atsushi's hand for him to move it.

“Here... This'll help till I can get to it.” Himuro said, sweeping the lavender locks back before slipping the headband on, pinning the hair out of Atsushi's face.

Atsushi smiled, “Yay... No more hair suckers.” He returned to enjoying the candy lollipop.

Himuro chuckled as he returned to riding the feathers of sand, and when he was done, he frowned at them, as the comb had done its job perfectly well, but left each fiber disconnected. He lightly sighed as he pulled out a tiny bottle, flicking its top open with his thumb before dropping a small drop of oil into his palm and smearing it around his fingers.

“I smell lavender, Muro-Chin. What is that?” Atsushi asked, lightly sniffing, but still enjoying his candy.

“Feather oil. It'll help repair the fibers.” Himuro said, running his fingers over the feathers to lightly coat them.

Atsushi just sat while Himuro worked, crunching his teeth down on the sucker to obliterate it into tiny rubble. He always loved the earth shattering crunch, as it was a satisfying sound that he had gotten to enjoy such a treat, but at the same time, it made him sad.

The sucker was gone.

“Muro-Chin? Can I have-”

Before he had even gotten to finish his sentence, another sucker appeared out from behind him. He produced a lazy smile as he took it, ripped off the wrapper and without even taking the previous stick out of his mouth, stuffed the new sucker inside.

The only sound between them was the clacking of the hard candy against Atsushi's teeth while Tatsuya worked, and before too long, the feathers had been fixed. They shone from their attention and were so smooth they were like freshly woven silk. He spent another few minutes to examine the surrounding area, if at all to make sure there was no more stubborn grains of sand and when he saw none, it was time to move on to the next task.

He plucked the headband from Atsushi's hair and let the purple strands fall, earning a grunt of displeasure from the Titan before he started running his hands through it to see what all needed to be done. His hair had grown out considerably in their time at the encampment, as it now hung all the way down to his shoulder blades. His bangs were nearly at his chin and as he examined the locks, he saw that there was more than just a few split ends.

“How short do you want it?” Himuro asked as he picked up a normal brush and started to comb.

“Base of my neck.” Atsushi said dully and through his candy.

He'd never say it out loud, but having fingers, anybody's fingers, running through his hair was the most calming thing in the world in his mind and with the adage of getting to enjoy candy on top of that, he was in heaven. His ears picked up the soft clipping sound of scissors while his eyes watched the arena as Takao took to wing once more, this time in a single downbeat that lifted him a full two meters off the ground. Even from that distance, he could see that he was covered in sweat, but with the effort of having to learn how to fly as a near adult, he did not envy the boy.

He had only managed to hover for a few seconds before landing on his own, but he still needed practice, as they were rough and more akin to just stopping his wings and letting gravity take over. It was rough, but with more practice, he would get better and better.

Severed strands of lavender fell down his back as Himuro trimmed, running his fingers through more of his hair to pull loose strands and to gather a new thin section to trim. Little by little, his purple hair shortened and when Himuro stepped in front of him and knelt down, he crunched his sucker.

“Now hold still. I've gotta trim your bangs.” Himuro said as he combed the heavy curtain of hair in front of Atsushi's face.

“So much.” Atsushi grumbled, unable to see through the strands of hair because there was so much of it.

“You have a ton of hair, Atsushi. Have you ever considered adding layers to help thin it out just a bit?” Himuro asked as he started to trim.

Atsushi shrugged, “I don't know. What's that?” He asked dully, letting Himuro guide his head around as he cut.

“Right... Layers it is.” Himuro said with a few flips of Atsushi's hair to let it settle.

As Himuro disappeared back behind him, Atsushi crunched the last of his candy and took the sticks out, but when another one appeared, he smiled.

“It's ok, Muro-Chin. You can have that one. I'll take the next one.” Atsushi said, still with that lazy smile across his face.

When the next one appeared right next to it, he took it with his usual, lazy and content smile.

* * *

 

The hour had grown late, as those in the encampment settled down after their evening supper. It had been another vegetable dish, as the last of their meat reserves had been used up and with no more information coming out of The Farm from Junpei Hyūga and the others, it was impossible to know when a food truck was scheduled to arrive.

With all that was remaining being vegetables, rice and breads, they didn't have much of a choice.

Despite the limited options, everyone's spirits seemed high as they settled down by the large central fire, but for Kazunari Takao, he was determined to keep practicing.

After his supper, which he had finished, he had returned to the arena to continue practicing lifting off and setting down under his own power. His back screamed from all the use and his wings ached from the hard work, but he had to get it right. He had to stay aloft for longer than a few seconds. He had flown, actually flown when he and Shintarō had fled, so he was getting angry as to why he couldn't do it now.

With a hard grunt and growl through clenched teeth, Takao downbeat his wings with as much power as he could muster, but the more he tried, the less power they seemed to be able to produce. He wanted to fly so badly, was almost desperate for it, but with one more downbeat, his wings finally gave up for good.

Takao dropped to the sand on all fours as his wings lay limp, his heart racing and his breathing coming fast and hard. He was completely spent, completely out of energy and his muscles were quivering so badly that he doubted he could even stand. Sweat dripped off of him as if it was raining and he was starting to feel cold until warm hands came down on his shoulders.

“Takao... It's time to stop.” Came Shintarō's deep voice, calm and soothing to help ease Takao's anger at not being able to fly.

“Why can't I do it?... Why can't I fly?” Takao panted out, heavy for breath as his forehead dropped onto his clenched fists and his eyes squeezed shut.

“Because you don't have the strength yet, Takao. You've been bedridden for nearly a month.” Shintarō said, his right arm threading itself around Takao's chest and helping him to sit up.

Takao sat back on his heels, still panting and desperate for breath as his head dropped back to stare up at the dark cavern ceiling, offering Shintarō his first real look at just how exhausted he was. His hair was caked in sweat and his pale skin was red and flushed from his efforts. His skin was so hot that it almost felt cold beneath his hands, but he ignored it as he brushed his fingers back over Takao's forehead to push his hair aside.

“It's time to stop, Takao.” Shintarō said quietly, resting his palm against his cheek to loll his head to look at him.

“I wanna fly, Shin-Chan... I wanna fly with you.” Takao breathed out, forcing himself to even out his heavy breathing as he just let Shintarō guide his head.

“You already have, and you will again soon, but it won't happen in one day.” Shintarō said softly, drifting his fingers over Takao's temple to push aside more hair.

“I don't just wanna give up though.” Takao said, leaning over to rest his tired upper half against Shintarō's chest.

“There is no embarrassment in falling down. The only true embarrassment is if you don't get up again.” Shintarō said, producing a small smile that reached his emerald eyes as he let Takao lean against him.

Seeing that tiny smile that barely curved his lips, Takao felt like he had a weight lifted off his shoulders, that he could finally lift off the ground without trying so hard. He felt that if he had Shintarō by his side, he was whole, a true Hawk-wing and so long as that very Razor-wing was with him, there was nothing they couldn't do.

He was still utterly confused as to why he wanted, was compelled to have Shintarō near him, but whenever he was, nothing he had lived through mattered anymore. He had always thought that his compatible partner would be a woman, someone he could love and cherish in return, but come to find out, his compatible partner was another man. It had thrown him for a loop, but each night that passed where he slept more soundly than ever before, protected and wrapped in this other man's arms, he was finding that he loved and cherished him just as much.

 _What the fuck is happening to me?_ He thought as he decided to be done for the night.

* * *

 

_**Taiga: (Laughing uncontrollably) That was so funny! Oh man!** _

_**Daiki: Shut up, Bakagami! Lycanwolff didn't warn me ahead of time she rigged the set to spritz that shit in my face!** _

_**Tetsuya: For good reason. She got a legitimate reaction from you for the show.** _

_**Daiki: It was disgusting!** _

_**Lycanwolff: It worked.** _

_**Daiki: You! Pay me more!** _

_**Lycanwolff: How about I just pay you.** _

_**Daiki: (Growls) Fine.** _

_**Atsushi: The break table is almost out of snacks, Lycan-Chin.** _

_**Lycanwolff: (Writes check) Go buy more.** _

_**Atsushi: (Glitter and fairies) Thank you, Lycan-Chin.** _

_**Takao: Ask her!** _

_**Shintarō: No!** _

_**Lycanwolff: Ask who what?** _

_**Takao: Ask her, Shin-Chan!** _

_**Shintarō: Go to hell!** _

_**Lycanwolff: I'm confused.** _

_**Takao: Shin-Chan wants to- (Hand suddenly covers mouth)** _

_**Shintarō: Nothing!** _

 


	13. Episode 13

**Episode 13**

 

There was something to be said about having the wind in your hair and the sun at your back, the way it felt as it rushed over your skin. It was a freeing feeling that all inside the encampment relished in, but for two of them, they were actually getting to enjoy it.

It was the only thing he could dream about at night, this feeling of rushing wind and warm sun and it had been that way for weeks. Day in and day out, he trained with Himuro, or Teppei, or Shintarō. He learned to fight, he learned to fly and with the sun beating down against his back with his wings spread wide as they carried him on the wind, Takao's dream had finally come true.

No longer was he thin and frail, but rather twenty pounds heavier and riddled with strong muscle that filled out his skin and covered his bones. No longer did his ribs show. No longer did his spine poke through his skin between his wings and no longer were his hips round, but rather, firm and wrapped with muscle that was strong enough to support him. He looked completely different and now whenever he looked in the mirror, he smiled at what he saw.

He and Shintarō had left the encampment to get some flying practice in, and they followed each other in perfect sync, banking and following the canyon walls without trouble. They were so sweeping and fluid that all Takao could do was smile as he flapped his wings, spreading his arms out to let the wind caress his body. Nothing was as freeing as this and as Shintarō started to bank up towards an incoming forest topped ridge, Takao flapped harder and followed.

The pair blitzed passed the edge of the ridge and slowed to a hover where they both descended down to softly touch down on the dirt. The strong beats of their wings blew up forgotten foliage and twigs, blowing it around in small dust devils before they tucked their wings in close and smiled.

“Now that was a run, Shin-Chan! How'd I do?” Takao beamed, bouncing around and twirling with his excitement.

“You already know my answer.” Shintarō said, unable to stop from smiling as Takao stretched, watching the exposed part of his back rippling from the flexing muscle.

Takao groaned as he finished stretching, sucking in a deep breath to fill his lungs completely with the scent of forest and sunshine. It was so uplifting that he didn't want to head back just yet, so with that simple thought, he decided not to.

“Lets go for a walk, Shin-Chan.” Takao continued to beam as he dropped his arms and started to walk deeper into the dense forest.

“Takao-... You know we can't stay out too long.” Shintarō said in protest, pushing up his glasses before starting to follow his Hawk-wing.

“Oh, come on, Shin-Chan! It's too beautiful outside! We've been cooped up in that cavern for too long, so we might as well.” Takao said, shooting a crooked smirk back towards Shintarō only a few paces behind.

“There's a good reason for that. The Humans have been expanding their search further and further out.” Shintarō said, his amused smile gone completely as he ducked under a low hanging branch, well, low for him that is.

“And haven't in over a week. Come on, Shin-Chan! Live a little!” Takao grinned as he tossed a pine needle back at him.

Shintarō sighed, “I suppose a small walk wouldn't hurt... But know that if you were any other Hawk-wing, I would be saying no.” He said with another push up of his glasses as he stepped over a high arcing root.

“That's what I thought.” Takao said with a curt nod.

The branches were a bit thicker than Shintarō would have liked, but so long as he was careful, he could get passed them without having his feathers snagged or getting thwacked by one that Takao let go too early. They had managed to trudge a ways into the forest before the trees just ended, giving way to a wide open meadow that was flat and covered with tall swaying grass.

“Look at it! It's so open!” Takao smiled as he spread his wings to lift off in a smooth motion and spin around as if he was dancing.

“Takao... Don't go too far. If the Humans fly over, they could see us.” Shintarō warned, still standing on the edge of the tree line and smiling at him as he twirled and played.

“Come on, Shin-Chan! We'll hear them coming, so we'll be fine!” Takao called back to him, swooping low to run his hand over the grass as if it was water.

Shintarō's brows furrowed slightly, “Takao-”

As Takao swooped down again to run his hand over the grass, he looked over at Shintarō still standing next to a tree, watching him with his arms crossed and shoulders tense. Despite the barely there smile that he could see with his keen hawk eyes, he could tell in his eyes that he was on high alert and was deciding not to spoil his fun.

However, he refused to be the only one enjoying it as he banked towards him and flew low, keeping his speed even and as slow as he could maintain. He righted himself and hovered as he grabbed Shintarō's hand and began to drag him out into the sun, flapping his wings to help battle against the larger man's resistance.

“Takao! Stop it!” Shintarō yelped, weakly resisting, but allowing Takao to still pull him along anyways.

“Come on, Shin-Chan! You have to enjoy it too!” Takao whined, still dragging him and still flapping his wings.

“Takao... That's enough. I can walk on my own.” Shintarō griped, but started to laugh as he pushed up his glasses.

“Then do it! Just come on!”

Before Takao could stop him, Shintarō drew his arm back, pulling Takao right along with it and wrapped both his arms around his waist in a firm grip. Takao's wings furiously flapped as he struggled to get free, but he was laughing as he pushed against Shintarō's shoulders.

“Shin-Chan! This isn't fair!” Takao laughed, still flapping and still pushing.

“Of course it's fair! You dragged me out here, so now I'm dragging you!” Shintarō laughed back as he started to walk forwards.

However, carrying a flailing weight higher than his hips made him top heavy, and when his foot came down to slip into a small gofer hole, the whole thing came tumbling down. Shintarō fell forwards and dropped Takao, whom landed softly on his back in the grass with him landing on top. Both roared with laughter as Shintarō rolled off of him and when both came to lay on their backs, staring up at the cotton candy clouds as they drifted by, time seemed to stop.

“That one looks like an eel. Don't you think, Shin-Chan?” Takao asked, pointing up at the offending cloud as he continued to smile, his shoulder pressed up against Shintarō's.

“I suppose. I thought it looked more like a ribbon.” Shintarō said, his arm laying over his stomach to run a soft, lazy line up and down Takao's arm with a single finger.

“Eh... Close enough... Oh! What about that one?” Takao asked, pointing to a new cloud as it came into view over the treetops.

Shintarō followed Takao's finger to the knew puff of white, studying its fluffy lines and how they arced wide from a narrow body. He made a peace sign with his fingers and held it up to the cloud, giving it a set of antennae to complete its form.

“A butterfly.” He said, dropping his arm back down onto his stomach to continue the soft lines.

Takao tilted his head to turn the cloud as it drifted by, but the motion brought his temple in contact with Shintarō's forehead. It startled him a bit as he jerked it up and looked over to apologize, but when his mouth opened to speak, he was rendered speechless by the set of emerald eyes gazing back at him.

“S-Sorry... S-Shin-Chan.” Takao said quietly as he softly bit his bottom lip, his eyes never looking away from Shintarō's.

“Why?” Shintarō asked, his voice low as he moved his hand from running lines along Takao's arm, to place his palm along his jaw.

At the touch, Takao sucked in a sharp breath, but he bit his lower lip once more as he scanned his eyes over Shintarō's face. His emerald eyes were drawn low, looking at him over the top of his black framed glasses and the mirth that they were filled with made his stomach flutter. Before he knew what he was doing, he started to nuzzle into his palm and it was so warm, so comforting that he felt like he was being touched by the sun itself.

“S-Shin-Chan-... W-What're you doing?” Takao asked, his airy voice stuttering as he tried to speak.

“I don't know... All I know is that I wanna be close to you.” Shintarō said, his thumb brushing over Takao's cheek with a soft stroke as he rolled onto his side to bring his face closer to his.

“I thought you weren't attracted to men.” Takao said, placing his own hand along Shintarō's neck and threading his fingers into his lush green hair.

“I'm not... I'm attracted to you.” Shintarō whispered as he ducked his head just a bit more.

Takao held his breath, lifting his head to close that last little bit to meet Shintarō's lips for a slow, sensual kiss that made his whole body numb as it vibrated with heat. It was so different than the one they had shared to disguise their true intentions, as that had been forced. This one however, was mutual and easy and felt just as natural as breathing.

He started to softly suckle on Shintarō's bottom lip as he was pressed down into the grass when the larger boy shifted to lay on top of him, his arms wrapping around his neck and lacing into his green hair that had grown just a bit longer. He was surprised to find that Shintarō wasn't heavy, allowing him the ability to continue breathing while his tongue ran over the bottom lip he had trapped softly between his teeth. He tasted so sweet as he suckled, softly moaning as Shintarō suckled right back on his upper lip, slipping his leg between his where his thigh rested against his hip.

He kept his eyes open so he could see him, see him close as they kissed and the sound of their lips moving together just made him boil inside with a delightful smolder. He was on fire and was finding he didn't want it to stop, but when a branch snapped from not far away, they froze as Shintarō's wings snapped up and bristled with a threatening intent.

“What was that?” Shintarō asked quietly, crouching low in the grass on all fours, his wings arced and vibrated with readied razors as he covered Takao protectively.

Takao craned his head back to see, but with the grass in the way, there wasn't much he could make out. He rolled onto his side, still covered by Shintarō's much larger body as his eyes shimmered from their normal slate blue to amber orange, scanning the forest and looking for the slightest movement, but when the tiniest fleck of white and brown streaked across his keen vision, his heart started to beat again.

“Chickens?” Takao arced a brow, following the random, unintelligent line of a fat white chicken pecking at the ground.

“What?” Shintarō asked, glancing down for a brief moment before looking back towards the woods, but refused to move from protecting Takao.

“Look... Over there. There's... a dozen of them. Maybe more. Just a bunch of chickens pecking around.” Takao said, wiggling his arm free to point in their direction.

Shintarō's eyes narrowed slight from the sun, but followed Takao's finger towards the trees where he saw a cluster of the small creatures just milling about without a care. They pecked at the ground in their hunt for morsels, unaware that they had two pairs of very keen, very meat starved eyes trained on them.

“Are you thinking what I'm thinking?” Shintarō asked, glancing back down to meet Takao's half lidded gaze.

“Maaaaaaybe.” Takao said with a coy wink in his eye as he nuzzled down into the grass and held his gaze.

Shintarō rolled his eyes as he shifted off from over him, “Shut up, Takao.” He said as he started to crawl forward with his wings still arced up.

“Oh, relax, Shin-Chan... Lets bring back some presents shall we?” Takao started to grin, rising up onto all fours with his wings tucked down close to his back as both began the hunt.

* * *

 

The office was dark as he watched the projected map against his wall, his elbow resting on the armrest of his chair as his fingers flipped a pen around as if it was a drumstick. He glared at the blinking red dot at the mouth of the lake that was constantly assaulted by a thundering waterfall and with each steady blip, his thin mouth curved into a crooked smirk.

“Just a little longer.” Lieutenant Makoto Hanamiya whispered to himself, just watching and waiting.

“You know... Sooner, or later, you're going to have to tell the General that you found them.” Came a voice from his office door; A smooth voice that was kind, but was laced with a deeper undertone.

“Ah... You grace me with your presence, Colonel Imayoshi.” Hanamiya said without even bothering to stand up from his chair.

“Figured I'd come and check on the spider.” Imayoshi said, his hands clasped behind his back as the automatic door closed behind him.

Hanamiya's eyes finally flicked off the map to study his visitor. He was a man of average height, with black, somewhat messy hair and eyes so narrow that he couldn't see their irises. His glasses sat firm on the bridge of his nose and his mouth, as usual, was quirked into a soft smile to give the man a kind appearance. Hanamiya knew better.

“Careful where you tread. We tend to hide.” Hanamiya said with a click of his tongue, returning his eyes to the map.

“Trust me... All of us here know that. How long are you going to wait before you say something?” Imayoshi asked, looking over to the map to spot the blinking red dot.

“Patience, Colonel... If we act too soon, our efforts would be for nothing.” Hanamiya said lowly, continuing to flip the pen through his fingers.

“You intend to lure them into a false sense of security.” Imayoshi said simply, turning his narrow eyes back to the man.

Hanamiya's smirk grew as he set the pen down and sat up straighter, “It's only a false sense for one side, Colonel. To them, they really do have a sense of security; That we have simply given up.” He stood and stepped around his desk.

Imayoshi just watched as Hanamiya stepped up to the map.

“Soon, my spider's web will be complete and then, we'll strike.” Hanamiya said, rapping a finger against the blinking red dot.

Imayoshi drew in a long, deep breath as he turned to face him and rested a hand down on the desk, turning a tablet to read what was displayed; It was a mission debriefing file.

“Chickens?” Imayoshi asked, arcing a brow as he shifted his gaze to the mad Lieutenant.

“We can't very well allow our herd to starve, now can we? Don't worry... There's nothing fowl going on. They're just chickens.” Hanamiya lowly laughed.

“Sometimes I wonder just how low you'll go to accomplish your goals.” Imayoshi said, returning to clasping his hands behind his back.

“As low as I need to. I'll even hide underground if that means I have a better chance at catching my prey.” Hanamiya said, looking back over his shoulder at him.

“You need to consider informing the General of your plans, Lieutenant. He's still your commanding officer.” Imayoshi said, turning to sit back against the edge of the desk and crossing his arms.

“Yes yes... I know, but what good is telling him if I have nothing to show for it? Consider it a surprise.” Hanamiya said, putting his back to the map to glare as his executive officer.

“Surprise, or not, the General could consider this an act of undermining his authority. I doubt you would want to reap that punishment.” Imayoshi said with a stone cold expression across his face.

“What punishment? If I bring the General those seven that tripped the proxies, imagine the rewards. He'll have his precious bloodlines and his career will skyrocket. He'll be in my pocket.” Hanamiya said as he walked back to sit at his desk.

“Using the Angelika as tools to boost your own career? I didn't think you liked this job that much.” Imayoshi said, following the man with only his eyes.

“Oh I do, Colonel. I rather do enjoy robbing the life from their eyes.” Hanamiya said with a low laugh in his throat as he sat down.

“Words spoken by a true madman.” Imayoshi said simply.

“Perhaps, but even you are in harms way, Colonel. You haven't told him either.” Hanamiya said, flicking his dead, cold eyes up to meet Imayoshi's.

“I have my own reasons. However, it's not my place to tell him your plans. That I leave to you.” Imayoshi said, not even flinching at the predatory glare coming right at him.

“Then I hope that's not a mistake.” Hanamiya said before leaning back and picking up his pen.

“I already know it's not. Good day, Lieutenant.” Imayoshi said before turning and stepping through the door.

The moment the door closed behind him, Colonel Shoichi Imayoshi slowly shook his head as he walked down the hall, stuffing his hands into his pockets to fidget with the keycard and key hidden there. He needed to find the one person he even bothered to go in there for, and he found him as he stepped out of the mess hall.

“Ah... Just the man I was about to search for. Come with me, Sergeant Hyūga.” Imayoshi said, his mouth returning the misleading and kind smirk on his face.

Junpei Hyūga snapped to attention, “Good afternoon, Sir!”

“At ease, Sergeant. Just come on.” Imayoshi said with a low laugh as he walked right by him.

Hyūga gulped as he relaxed his stiff position and followed his executive officer, trailing a half step behind along the right side of the hallway. His stomach immediately started to flip, threatening to purge his lunch with what the Colonel wanted to speak to him about, but he had to keep his head clear and relax, or risk tipping someone off.

They reached Imayoshi's office and stepped inside once he had slid the keycard down the reader. It was a rather nice office, with a tall bookshelf laden with classic books and even a wooden desk. There were perks to being the executive officer and it was clear in how he kept his space.

“Have a seat.” Imayoshi said, motioning to a chair on the opposite side of the desk.

All he could do was gulp again as he sat, but he still sat up stick straight from his nerves. He just watched as Imayoshi sat down and waited in the silence as he tapped on his computer and typed in his password to access the base network.

After several minutes of tense silence, Imayoshi finally flicked his narrow eyes towards him, setting him into the crosshairs he hated being in, but he had to endure it, as the executive officer of the base, was helping him.

“Lieutenant Hanamiya found them.” Imayoshi said plainly and with zero emotion.

Hyūga gasped, “No-”

“Uh uh-... Relax. He isn't planning on attacking just yet, but there isn't much more time. Going by the look in his eye, I'd say maybe a couple more days.” Imayoshi said, resting his elbows on his armrests.

“I have to warn them.” Hyūga said lowly, his heart starting to race with anxiety.

“You will... However, this information does not come free. I stay quiet about this for one simple thing in return.” Imayoshi said calmly, his voice cold and collected as he opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a small USB drive.

“S-Sir?” Hyūga stuttered.

“In trade for this, I want your career. This government needs less of people like you whom are so willing to turn their backs on their own kind. You don't get this, until I have your resignation letter on my desk.” Imayoshi said, keeping the USB just out of Hyūga's reach.

“B-But, Sir... I have to tell them before Lieutenant Hanamiya can act.” Hyūga said, taking in a deep breath to keep his voice from rising.

“I'm not stopping you, but it's up to you whether you want his plans to accompany that report, or not. Your career, in trade for this. It is non-negotiable.” Imayoshi said.

“Fine... You'll have it by the end of the day.” Hyūga said without even having to think.

“Really? You decided that quickly?” Imayoshi asked, setting the USB down in front of him in plain sight of Hyūga's eyes, but still out of his reach.

“I don't need it if it means sacrificing my humanity. I do this to clear my conscious and free a people we had no right to imprison.” Hyūga said with a hardened resolve.

“Fair words, I suppose.” Imayoshi half shrugged.

“If I can ask, Sir... Why help me? Why help us?” Hyūga asked, his heart still racing, but his breathing forcibly even.

“Because this government needs less of Hanamiya even more so than we need less of you. I want him gone and you, Sergeant Junpei Hyūga, are helping me do it.” Imayoshi said, curling his arm up to click his fingernails together.

“I don't mind being a pawn.” Hyūga said.

“And that is exactly what you are. Pawns get sacrificed for those that are better in a much bigger game. You and your friends will not make it out of this. With your lives? Most likely... But everything you worked so hard for will be gone.” Imayoshi said coldly as his narrowed eyes opened just enough to reveal their gray color to him.

“If that's what it takes, than I won't argue.” Hyūga said with a straight face.

“Very well. You're aware of the price... Now all you have to do is pay it.” Imayoshi said, picking up the USB and putting it back into his desk.

“Am I dismissed?” Hyūga asked as he stood.

“Yes, you are.”

* * *

 

Ryōta liked vegetables just as much as the next guy, but having them be the only meal option for weeks on end left a sour taste in his mouth. It wasn't as if they tasted bad, Kagami's cooking was far better than that, it's just that he wanted something with more substance and carrots, potatoes, celery and rice weren't cutting it. He was hungry to say the least and because of it, he was getting on Kasamatsu's nerves.

“Senpai! Don't you have something stashed away? I'm hungry!” Ryōta whined as he followed Kasamatsu through the camp wherever he went.

“For the last time, Kise... No!” Kasamatsu snapped, the vein in his forehead throbbing as he started for his tent for some semblance of freedom.

“Come on! You're supposed to be my supporting clan! Don't let your Golden-wing die of starvation!” Ryōta sighed, drooping his shoulders far forward as he hung his head.

“Golden-wing? What Golden-wing? All I see is a whiny-wing!” Kasamatsu barked, slapping his palm into his face.

“That's mean, Senpai!” Ryōta continued to whine while he followed.

“Go! Away! Kise!” Kasamatsu growled.

“I don't wanna! I'm hungry!” Ryōta whined even louder as he followed the Silver-wing into his tent.

Kasamatsu's throat thundered with an irritated growl as the vein in his forehead pounded in time with each rap of his heart. He was on his last nerve with Ryōta Kise, the Golden-wing pretty boy whom was too much of a diva for his own good. All he wanted was for the golden blonde to vanish just for a little bit, but he was quickly finding out that he turned into a whiny child when he was hungry.

“Ok! Fine! Jesus Christ, Kise!” Kasamatsu snapped as he reached under his bed and pulled out his secret stash of snacks.

“I knew it! I knew you had something, Senpai!” Ryōta beamed with glee as Kasamatsu tossed him a protein bar.

“Now get out!” Kasamatsu roared.

With the protein bar already happily stuffed into his mouth, Ryōta was all too happy to comply as he stepped out of the tent, but once he did, he took notice of the large group gathering just outside of the entrance to the tunnel.

“Where did you find those?” Came Daiki's voice.

“How many are there?” Came Seijūrō's.

“It looks like there's enough there for everyone.” Kagetora's voice sounded more than pleased, which was unusual.

Ryōta's curiosity was peaked as he made his way over, still munching on the bar, but once he got close to the group, seeing that Shintarō and Takao were at the center of attention, he poked his head through to take a look.

“Are those... Are those... Are those chickens?” Ryōta gawked, the bar in his mouth nearly fumbling to the sand.

“Eighteen of them in fact! Shin-Chan and I found them while we were out!” Takao beamed with pride, his shirt hanging limp and untied along the bottom from having removed the lace to tie the dead chickens together.

“Kagami? Kuroko?... Looks like you two are gonna be busy this afternoon. Think you can get these dressed and cooked up by tonight?” Kagetora asked, clapping his hands down on both boys' shoulders.

“If I can get some help, it shouldn't be a problem.” Taiga said, taking the string of chickens from their hands.

“Good... Tonight! We feast!” Kagetora boomed.

The encampment erupted into cheers as Taiga and Tetsuya headed for the kitchen tent with the other boys in tow, fully intended on helping prepare the chickens to be cook. What heads remained were severed while others plucked feathers and removed the razor from their bodies. Seijūrō turned out to be quite skilled in removing the innards while Ryōta took it upon himself to get the whole camp ready for a full blown party.

The large bonfire in the center of camp was stoked and raging, adding the pleasant scent of campfire to the rising scent of cooking chicken. Torches were lit and scattered around the camp to bathe it in warm light and the training arena was even cleaned up and its sands smoothed. The camp hadn't looked so good in weeks and once those from the operations tent emerged with a few speakers and a stereo console, Ryōta beamed wide, as their feast would be accompanied with music.

As the evening finally arrived, Taiga, Tetsuya and Atsushi had all prepared a hoard of different dishes from roasted whole chicken, to chicken curry, to chicken stew and beyond. There was enough for everyone to have more than one serving and once their meal had started to be dished out, the music started.

The heroes of the hour, being Shintarō and Takao, were given the first serving, as they had been the ones to bring back meat that everyone was dying for, but for Seijūrō Akashi, he simply sat back by the bonfire and watched everything around him.

There wasn't a frown to be seen, as everyone was smiling wide and laughing and eating and simply enjoying the calm that had come as time had passed. Even Shintarō was unabashedly smiling as he and Takao sat near each other and ate. The atmosphere felt so light that the weightlessness of it on his shoulders seemed more like a dream than reality. He was so lost in watching from the outside that he never noticed the Eagle-wing sit down next to him.

“Can't help, but notice you haven't gotten anything to eat yet.” Said Kagetora, his voice normal and even instead of the usual gruff he strutted around with.

“I'm just admiring the scenery I suppose.” Seijūrō said, lightly smiling as Daiki and Wakamatsu got into another playful scuffle.

“I haven't seen everyone this lighthearted in quite awhile. Having the Sevens Sons of the Seven Kings here has really made a difference.” Kagetora said, offering the second bowl of chicken stew he had brought to Seijūrō.

Seijūrō eyeballed the offering for only a moment before taking it, stirring it with his spoon to mix it all with the vegetables before taking a bite. It was savory, leaving behind an earthy aftertaste that hung on his tongue for just the right length of time before he swallowed his bite. It was delicious and a welcomed change from their meals as of late.

“If I may ask, Commander Aida... What happens to us once all this is over?” Seijūrō asked, letting his bowl rest in his lap while he ate.

“I suppose that's up to you. The small population of Angelika that still live will turn to you for guidance. There's nothing I can do to stop that.” Kagetora said evenly, scanning his eyes over the young boy's face.

“But why me? I am only a child; A teenage boy whom only a couple months ago thought his brothers and he were the last.” Seijūrō said, his eyes going blank as he started at the large flames of the bonfire.

“Because you're the new Crimson Emperor. It's as simple as that.” Kagetora said, huffing a crooked smirk as Atsushi worked quite hard to steal a bite of Himuro's food.

“Crimson Emperor... Was that what my father was called?” Seijūrō asked with a bit of distance in his voice.

“Yes, it was. I knew your father. Not well, but I knew him.” Kagetora said, earning the young boy's full gaze.

“You did?” Seijūrō asked, his meal going forgotten in his lap.

Kagetora nodded, “I did... He was a very strict man, but so long as you obeyed his order, he was just. I was apart of his Crimson Guard before the war.”

“His personal guards?” Seijūrō asked.

“Not uncommon for an Eagle-wing. When Riko was born the year prior to the war, your father even gave me his blessing. I was brand new to the Crimson Guard and it made me all that much more loyal to him.” Kagetora said, sitting back and enjoying watching the others relax, including that very daughter and her boyfriend. _I'm not an idiot... I'm watching you, Kiyoshi._

“What happened once the war broke out?” Seijūrō asked, remembering that he had food and returned to eating.

“The Crimson Guard was decimated from within. As it turned out, most were apart of the faction responsible for starting the war.” Kagetora said, briefly glancing at the redhead.

“Faction? What faction? I thought the Humans started the war?” Seijūrō asked, drying his lips on a napkin from nearly spitting out his food.

“To a degree they did, but it was only because a small faction of us threw the first punch.” Kagetora said with a furrowing in his brows.

“I see... We started it.” Seijūrō said lowly.

“Both sides did. No matter how you look at it, both sides were engaged in mutual combat and it didn't matter that, at the time, the Angelika lacked the ability to be cruel. Even the rogue faction couldn't. It's a whole different story now though.” Kagetora said, picking at his fingernails with a slow sigh as he actually smiled at his baby girl and how close she was with Teppei Kiyoshi.

“I see.” Seijūrō said in an exhale.

“Don't dwell on it though. The war we knew is gone. The one we're living now is the only one you need to concern yourself with.” Kagetora said, clapping a hand down on the boy's shoulder.

“I shall try, Commander.” Seijūrō said with a nod.

As Kagetora stood, he kept his hand on Seijūrō's shoulder, but instead of walking away, he looked back down at the boy and softly smiled.

“Just remember that treating others well, also means treating yourself well. Don't forget to eat.” He said, this time taking his hand back.

“I won't. Thank you.” Seijūrō said.

As he resumed his meal, he went back to watching the others, specifically how Kagetora approached Riko and Teppei whom were far too engrossed in attempting to steal morsels from each other to notice. He laughed once Teppei noticed, how rigid his back went and how he visibly shuttered with fright at the man. His genuine fear actually grew when Kagetora sat down on the other side of Riko and despite being across the fire, Seijūrō saw Teppei's Adam's apple move with a huge gulp.

As time passed and the evening drew into night, the music played and he found that he was actually starting to enjoy it. It was nice to see everyone happy, to see his brothers happy and it gave him that small inkling that maybe their old life was gone, in favor of this one.

His meal gone, he rose to take the bowl back to the kitchen tent, but he didn't even make it a step until his name was called.

“Akashicchi! Don't think we don't see you over there sulking! Get over here!” Ryōta called from across the fire, sitting on the sand and leaning back against the log.

Seijūrō just smiled as he raised his empty bowl, signifying that he was going to return it, but when a small Eagle-wing girl took it from him with a bow before scurrying off, his excuse went with her.

“Come on! Why the hell you acting like you're better!” Daiki called out next, this one sitting on the log with Wakamatsu trying to push him over.

 _And in the end, they are still just my brothers,_ “I'm coming! I'm coming! Stop screaming.” He said, smiling softly as he changed course and headed over.

All the brothers were sitting in a group around the log and all accompanied by whom had quickly become their best friends. Ryōta and Yukio Kasamatsu happily sat and played cards, while Daiki and Kōsuke Wakamatsu poked and jabbed and called each other names as if they were twins. Atsushi and Tatsuya Himuro just sat next to each with Himuro handing the purple Titan candy whenever he asked for it and Taiga and Tetsuya were more than content to sit and laugh at Daiki's and Wakamatsu's antics, which had resulted in Daiki getting pushed over backwards.

However, as Seijūrō sat down between Tetsuya and Ryōta, the pair he was expecting to see just lounging and enjoying the fruits of their labor, was exactly who wasn't there.

“Now where are Shintarō and Kazunari?... Or do I not want to know.” Seijūrō said with a drop in his voice.

“Just getting more food. We aren't banging in a corner, or anything.” Came Takao's voice as that very pair returned with another helping of several dishes.

“Shut up, Takao!” Shintarō thundered from right behind him.

At the fierce blush across Shintarō's cheeks as he sat down behind Takao on the log, the boys all started to laugh, trying to cover it up with their shirts to avoid getting glared at with piercing emerald.

“You should see your face, Midorimacchi! You're redder than Akashicchi's hair!” Ryōta roared through his laughter, holding his gut to let his abs take a break from it all.

“You can all go straight to hell.” Shintarō grumbled as he pushed up his glasses before turning his attention to eating.

“D'aw... Shin-Chan! You're embarrassed!” Takao snickered as he poked Shintarō's leg.

“How many times do I have to tell you to shut up in a day? Are you actually pursuing a personal best?” Shintarō glared down at him hard over the top of his glasses, sending an invisible shiver down Takao's spin.

“Perhaps.” Takao said with a huge, toothy grin, still with his head craned back to look up at him.

Shintarō just rolled his eyes as he started to eat, thunking his cleaned spoon down on top of Takao's head where he flinched and pretended it hurt. The others laughed, now at the smaller boy's expense as they each returned to what they had been doing in their pairs. Despite not having a genuine partner himself, Seijūrō didn't feel alone, didn't feel as if he was missing out. There were plenty of Eagle-wings he could choose from, but that's not how he saw them. They were tools to be picked from their drawer, or clothes for one to wear, they were people and the one that seemed to fit him best, was sitting next to his daughter.

Until it was time for him to truly accept the mantel of the Crimson Emperor, Kagetora Aida would be his guide.

* * *

 

_**Ryōta: (Fans self) Whoo!!!! That was hot!** _

_**Shintarō: (Madly blushing) Knock it off, Kise! It's what the script called for!** _

_**Takao: Now if I could only get you to ask her out, we'd be in business.** _

_**Shintarō: Shut up, Takao! Are you trying to get me fired?** _

_**Takao: Well, no, but I don't think she'd say no.** _

_**Daiki: Dude... She'd totally say yes.** _

_**Taiga: Who?** _

_**Tetsuya: Don't worry about it, Kagami-kun.** _

_**Taiga: No, really? Who? What're we talking about?** _

_**Takao: Trying to get Shintarō to take his balls out of his purse and ask her out.** _

_**Taiga: Ask who out?** _

_**Shintarō: (Blushing so hard the others can feel it) I swear to god, I'm gonna burn you all.** _

_**Ryōta: If that blush gets any hotter, you just might.** _

_**Lycanwolff: Ok guys! Here're the new scripts. There's only a couple changes, so don't freak out too much. (Hands out scripts)** _

_**Takao: Shin-Chan is the only one.** _

_**Shintarō: Shut up, Takao!** _

 


	14. Episode 14

**Episode 14**

 

The party had gone on most of the night, with people just enjoying the food, talking, even dancing and just spending time with each other. None wanted to part ways to get some sleep, but eventually, as the hour drew late, they all retired.

Kagetora had been the first to head off, finally opening the door for Riko and Teppei to relax from their horror of her father nearly finding them out, where they shared a few dances before sneaking off to Teppei's tent. Not long after, Ryōta dragged himself off, well, rather Kasamatsu did, as the blonde was nearly dead asleep on his feet while Atsushi carried Himuro since had fallen asleep where he sat. Taiga and Tetsuya scuffled off with death in their eyes and Daiki didn't even bother making it to his and Seijūrō's tent, as the infirmary was closer and he just plopped down in there much to Wakamatsu's exhausted protests.

All was quiet and all were asleep, including the last two whom were sound asleep in their conjoined beds.

Before finally getting to lay down, Takao and Shintarō had rearranged their tent, bringing their two beds together to give them some more space to get comfortable. There was so much room that Takao's wings were curled around to his front as he lay on his side, opening up his back for Shintarō to be close with his face buried in his raven hair.

That was how they laid down, and that was how they stayed while they slept with even breaths and both with soft, gentle smiles of content. That's all they wanted, was to sleep in each others arms, to comfort each other and just be close. They still wore their clothes, had never taken them off and in fact, they hadn't touched each other to such a degree. For them, that was enough, to simply be snuggled together and find blissful, wonderful sleep.

Safe in his arms, Takao's dreams had been calm, serene even, often being of a beach, or a grassy meadow where Shintarō and he just existed. In his dreams, the air was always warm, almost as warm as feeling Shintarō against his back and in his dreams, there were no worries. The war didn't exist, their resistance didn't have to fight. They could just live and be happy without having that nag at the back their skulls. He loved his dreams ever since Shintarō came to him that night and this one was no different.

Takao was perfectly content to just lay there and forget, but something was nagging at him, was poking him in the back of his mind that he just couldn't ignore. He had found several hours of sleep, but he had awoken with a small jolt when he thought he had heard something in his dreams. He lay there, his tired eyes open as he listened, but that sound never came back; The sound of falling pebbles against larger stone.

He simply shook it off and nuzzled back down into his pillow, tucking back against Shintarō's chest with the intent of going back to sleep, but when that very man's arm tightened around him, he lightly cringed.

With a deep intake of air, Shintarō's husky voice drifted over the back of his neck.

“Kazu? Are you alright?” Shintarō asked tiredly, his eyes still closed as he nuzzled his face further into Takao's neck.

“I'm fine, Shin-Chan... Just thought I heard something.” Takao said, resting his hand over Shintarō's that lay limp on the bed in front of his stomach.

Shintarō drew in another deep inhale that was laced with the scent of Takao's hair, “What did you hear?” He exhaled, never loosening his hold on his Hawk-wing.

“The sound of tiny rocks falling. Like someone had kicked them off a cliff.” Takao whispered, curling his arm up to lace his fingers through Shintarō's hair.

“Mmm... What were you dreaming about?” Shintarō asked, his words sounding more asleep with each one he said.

Takao softly smiled, “That we were at the beach, bathed in sunlight and a warm breeze. It was at the base of a cliff.” He said, his voice airy as he tilted his head just enough to place a kiss to Shintarō's arm that was threaded beneath his neck.

“That's probably it then. Go back to sleep, Kazu.” Shintarō said, the nickname he only ever called him in private drifting off at the end.

Shintarō was probably right. It was probably just a figment of his dream, so with a long, slow released sigh, Takao snuggled back down and closed his eyes.

Suddenly, his ears caught that very same sound once more, snapping his eyes open in an instant as his heart started to thump just a bit harder. He held his breath as he listened, but again, there was nothing as he started to sit up.

“Kazu... Go back to sleep.” Shintarō said, sucking in a sharp breath as he rolled onto his back and slung his arm over his naked eyes.

“There it was again... I'm not dreaming it, Shin-Chan. There really was a noise.” Takao said in a whisper as he looked down at Shintarō and rested his hand on his chest to lightly shake him awake.

“Kazu... Stop it. What's wrong with-”

Shintarō was immediately hushed when his ears twitched and picked up the barely there sound of a silenced thunk, snapping his eyes open despite their blur. His brows lightly furrowed as he rose up onto his elbows and met Takao's worrying gaze, both listening and waiting.

“That sounded like a dart gun.” Takao mouthed so softly that the words nearly didn't exist on his breath.

Shintarō just nodded as he reached over to his side of the bed and retrieved his glasses from the small nightstand, slipping them on before fully sitting up. He continued to listen until again, another silenced thunk sounded off from outside their tent.

His worry spiking, Shintarō tucked his wings in close as he crawled over Takao, lightly pressing on his shoulders to keep him in bed as he placed his finger to his lips. Takao just nodded as he stayed put, watching as Shintarō slowly stepped towards the zipped flaps of their tent with rigid wings that were silent and deadly. Another silenced thunk sounded, freezing him in his tracks just shy of the flaps, but as he reached out for them to unzip them and look out, Takao's hand grabbed his wrist.

“Don't... Someone's out there.” Takao mouthed again, his eyes wide with worry as he shook his head.

“Who?” Shintarō asked, merely moving his mouth instead of letting the word come out.

As more silenced thunks sounded, Takao gulped as he reached out and grasped Shintarō's wing pulling it out just enough to point at his feathers. He understood and quietly snapped a razor out for Takao to pull free, where he carefully held it and brought it to the canvas wall of the tent.

Slowly exhaling, he sliced a small opening in the canvas before letting the razor feather fall to the floor, but when he peaked through it with a keen eye, he snapped up straight and cupped both his hands over his mouth to keep from making a sound.

Seeing the rising terror in Takao's eyes, Shintarō's brows furrowed as he leaned over and looked through, but when his eye set on the ridge, his breath was sucked from his lungs.

Standing in a flank along the entrance ridge to the encampment, was a line of Humans, all dressed in the same military fatigues and all with black dart rifles in their hands. They had found them and had timed their raid so perfectly, that they were dropping people as they stepped out of their tents without having them make a single sound.

“Oh my god-... We've gotta raise the alarm.” Shintarō breathed out, his heart hammering in his chest as he grabbed Takao's hand and bolted for the back of the tent.

With another snap of his wing, he produced another razor feather that he pulled and sliced through the canvas in the back of the tent to create a way out. They both stepped through, but instead of making a run for it, they stayed put against the back of the tent and out of the Humans' view.

“Shin-Chan... What do we do?” Takao asked, gripping onto Shintarō's arm as he pushed him back behind him to protect him.

Shintarō grit his teeth together as he looked around the cavern, seeing several whom had already been hit, but none were his brothers, or their partners. He silently thanked whomever was listening before spotting the stereo console and speakers still in the arena.

“There... We turn that on. It'll wake everyone up.” Shintarō pointed, letting Takao step up next to him to take a look.

Takao's eyes shimmered into amber orange, peering through the dark to see that the console still had power. All they had to do was land a hit to the power button that was the size of the pad of his thumb.

“12.7 centimeters from the top of the table.” Takao whispered, his eyes never blinking as he stared at the console.

“I can't see it... It's too dark. I need more than that.” Shintarō said, daring to peak around the corner of their tent at the ridge.

No more Angelika seemed to be coming out, but the line of Humans were repelling down the ridge face and onto the sands. They didn't have much time until they started searching tents, but he was soon dragged back behind the tent and was wheeled around.

Before he could react, Takao grabbed his jaw and yanked him down, crashing their lips together hard and making it impossible for him to see. Yes, the power button was 12.7 centimeters from the top of the table, but he needed more from the Hawk-wing.

“One meter up, 12.7 centimeters up from that, three meters starboard. Stop trying to look at it and fire, you idiot.” Takao said through their kiss.

Without even hesitating, Shintarō snapped his wing and sent a razor whistling through the air, but instead of a straight shot, he had spun the feathery blade like a boomerang. He had arced it around in a wide arc where it curved in that very direction and ricocheted off the power button.

In a blazing, startling sound, the speakers boomed to life with heavy base and a fast tempo that was instantly met with barked orders and chaos. The pair rushed from behind their tent with Shintarō protecting Takao by sending barrages of razors towards the advancing Humans as they darted for Kagetora's tent. The entire encampment awoke from the sudden commotion and as Shintarō reached the Commander's tent, dodging and shooting darts right out of the air to force the Humans to find cover, that very man emerged.

“What the hell-” Kagetora began, only to shut himself up when he saw the Humans, “Evac! Now! Go!”

The three started to run for the tunnel entrance as more poured from the tents, but more darts flew, dropping one after another. Seijūrō and Daiki both stepped from their tent into the chaos, but had narrowly missed getting hit as they immediately took to the air and made a beeline for the back of the cavern. Atsushi and Teppei had both blasted towards the line of advancing Humans with darts flying towards them, but between Teppei's giant wings and Atsushi's even larger ones that shone like metal, they protected the others as they all made a dash for the back of the cavern.

“How the fuck did they find us!” Teppei barked, sweeping a large wing around in front to block darts from hitting a pair of Hawk-wings as they stepped out of their tent.

“Worry about that later! Just defend!” Himuro snapped, ducking down behind a tent as he fired his twin pistols at the Humans.

Atsushi growled angrily as he swooped down low, causing the Humans to dive to avoid being plowed into, but every time he swooped, they fired darts at him that bounced off his metal wings.

“Murasakibara! Get to the back! Now!” Kagetora boomed, having snatched up a rifle to begin laying down a wave of suppressing fire.

With a hard bank, the giant purple Titan arced right and dashed for the lake, avoiding more darts with a sharp roll as he also avoided hitting low hanging stalactites.

“Dad!” Riko called out as she stepped from Teppei's tent.

However, before she could scream anything else, her wrist was grabbed as Kagetora pulled her down to the sands behind a stack of supply crates just before several darts plowed into them and uselessly dropped to the sands.

“Baby... Go. Get the others out of here. The boys and their supporters have to escape. You and Kiyoshi can handle things from there.” Kagetora said, covering his daughter as more of their numbers dropped to the sands.

“No, Dad! We aren't leaving you!” Riko snapped back, ducking her head when a dart zinged over.

“Don't argue with me! You and Kiyoshi are in charge, now go!” Kagetora barked.

Riko pursed her lips together as she took a fast peak around the corner, seeing Teppei and Atsushi defend the boys as they rushed for the tunnel entrance. The sands were littered with unconscious Angelika, but seeing all seven of the boys, plus their partners near the tunnel entrance, at least they had that.

“Go, Riko!”

To buy his daughter time, Kagetora stood and fired his rifle as Riko bolted for the tunnel. Teppei rushed for her to defend her from the attack, and when he reached her, his bare feet skidded on the sands and wrapped her up in his wings to drag her behind a tent just in time to avoid getting hit.

“Kiyoshi!” Kagetora howled over the barking of his rifle.

With Riko somewhat struggling in his arms, Teppei looked over to see the knowing look in Kagetora's eyes. His face was dead serious and without even flinching, he nodded. He knew.

“Dad! Come on! You can make it!” Riko called, struggling harder against Teppei's grip to get free, but it was useless against his much greater strength.

Kagetora didn't even respond as he continued to fire at the Humans, forcing them to take cover from the lethal rounds behind tents and crates. He fired short, controlled bursts, occasionally stealing glances to make sure the others got out and when he saw Teppei and Riko disappear into the tunnel, being the last, he snatched a grenade from his belt, pulled the pin and threw it.

With a metal clang, the grenade bounced off a stalactite and landed close to the tunnel entrance before going off a few seconds later, filling the cavern with an explosion so complete that all sound seemed to die with it. It rang in his ears with a heat that trailed down his neck, but without even cringing from the noise, he stood up to open fire some more.

However, before he fully got his feet, a hard slam came down on the back of his head, knocking him down where his rifle fell from his grip and despite the crumbling rock at the tunnel mouth that was now blocked, Riko and Teppei could still see through a small, barely there space between the boulders.

“Dad! No! We've gotta stop them!” Riko hissed, struggling more against Teppei's infallible hold.

“We can't! We've gotta go, or we're caught too!” Teppei snapped, handing the struggling Riko off to Atsushi to keep her from doing something stupid.

“Oh, my darling little Rainbow Squad! Why don't you come out and play like this old man did?” Came a malicious voice that sent chills down each of their spines.

Teppei's brows furrowed as he glanced through the small hole, seeing a man in military fatigues with dead gray eyes and longer black hair. He stood next to Kagetora whom was being tied up by the other Humans, but he was knocked cold and his head hung to his chest with blood dripping down his chest.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are!” The man sang, interlocking his hands behind his back.

“Is that who I think it is?” Teppei asked quietly as he waved for Shintarō to step up.

In the tight space of the tunnel, Shintarō squeezed around Takao and managed to maneuver passed Atsushi to come next to Teppei, but when he looked through the hole, his breath caught in his throat and his eyes went wide.

“Shit... It's Lieutenant Hanamiya. He found us.” Shintarō said with a growl.

“Hanamiya's here?... We've gotta go now, or we're all fucked... Literally.” Takao said, swiping away a bead of anxious sweat from his forehead.

“Oh, Rainbow Crop Squad! I know you're in there, so why don't you come out like good little play things?” Hanamiya said with a tone that rattled them to their cores.

Teppei and Shintarō both growled low in their throats as they just watched and stayed silent, hoping that this was all just a bad dream. The men had finished tying Kagetora up and were holding his head up by his hair to show his face. Both ears were bleeding from the blast and more was running down his back from the blow to his head to stain his feathers.

“He's hurt, Wakamatsu. Blow to the head.” Teppei whispered back to those guarding their rear in case there was something planning on surprising them.

However, when he looked back at all whom was there, he realized that it was just the seven boys, their partners and he and Riko. They were all that was left.

“Aida's waking up!” Shintarō hissed in a hushed voice as he jabbed Teppei's arm.

Teppei gulped and looked back forward, pushing Shintarō to the side to get a better look, but as Kagetora's delirious gaze started to set on the blocked tunnel, he couldn't help himself.

“Let him go and we might come out!” Teppei called through the hole, much to all their dismay.

“Ah, there you are... You don't happen to have my lovely little #10 in there with you, do you?” Hanamiya asked, tilting his head as he glared at the rocks.

Shintarō looked back at Takao, whom just stood there with a blank expression on his face as their eyes met.

“What's it to you?” Teppei called back.

“I want what's mine, and you want what's yours. I see a fair trade in our futures, don't you?” Hanamiya asked with a singsong and condescending tone.

“Not by a long shot!” Shintarō growled.

“Oh my... It must be my birthday. Is that the green-haired Stud I just heard?” Hanamiya grinned crookedly as he sent an amused glare down at Kagetora whom was fuming up at him.

“Dad!” Riko suddenly yelped, only to have her mouth covered by Atsushi's massive hand.

“Oh? Is this one a Sire, by chance? You aren't one of mine, are you?” Hanamiya asked as he thunked a knuckle off Kagetora's head.

“Go to hell.” Kagetora hissed through clenched teeth.

Hanamiya's lips pursed together as he clenched a tight fist and racked it forward, smashing his knuckles into Kagetora's jaw to spray a mist of blood all over the sands.

“They're saving me a seat.” Hanamiya said lowly and with a low, airy hiss.

“Don't touch him!” Teppei roared through the rocks.

“Oh, please do try and stop me. I have two dozen darts ready, waiting and aching to come say hello.” Hanamiya said, his crooked grin growing even wider.

“And I have an infinite number of razors waiting to do the same, you son of a bitch.” Shintarō growled lowly for only them to hear, looking back at Takao again just in time to see the softest of smiles grace his lips.

“Are we going to play this little cat and mouse game all night, or is this going to be done with in time for me to get back and watch my shows?” Hanamiya asked dully as he looked at his nails.

“You might as well leave now!” Teppei called out.

“That's hardly going to... Oooooh... I recognize your voice now. You're that Titan whom I decided only needed one knee.” Hanamiya grinned with all his teeth.

Teppei's brows furrowed hard as he growled, “You almost got it, but I'm still walking!”

“Not for long you won't be if you don't stop this silly game.” Hanamiya's smirk died into a scowl.

“He's a stubborn one, that one is. You might as well give up now.” Kagetora started to laugh, only to earn the butt of a rifle to the back of his head.

“Must you butt in? I'm actually enjoying this.” Hanamiya rolled his eyes.

“Shin! Shred that asshole!” Daiki snarled in a hushed whisper from the back of the group.

“I can't. My razors are too big for the space between the rocks.” Shintarō said, managing to keep his voice calm and collected.

“We're doing all we can. We sit tight here. Ryōta, Daiki, Yukio and Kōsuke; you four keep an eye out behind us. Tatsuya, Taiga and Tetsuya; Be our second line of defense just in case. Atsushi, keep her quiet. Kazunari, support Shintarō.” Seijūrō ordered, setting his crimson eyes on each boy as he spoke.

No one refused as they all nodded and followed his orders with Daiki, Ryōta, Kasamatsu and Wakamatsu all filing deeper into the tunnel a short distance to keep their eyes peeled for anyone trying to sneak up on them, but they were still close enough to see and hear the others. However, instead of staying back, Seijūrō stepped up to take Shintarō's spot and pushed him back to Takao.

“Why don't we start off with you telling us how you found us?” Seijūrō asked, his voice smooth, even and controlled.

Hanamiya's eyes narrowed at the voice, but the tiniest fleck of amber caught his eye between the rocks, and before he knew it, his mouth was moving.

“I've known for weeks. We followed the blood trail left by my #10 when that green-haired brat stole him from me.” Hanamiya said with a growl if disdain.

Shintarō's brows furrowed as he wrapped his arms protectively around Takao, bringing him to his chest.

“Why didn't you attack us then?” Seijūrō asked plainly.

“What can I say? I'm a very patient man.” Hanamiya said, sneering. _Why am I answering his questions?_

“That's not a clear enough answer. Try again.” Seijūrō said simply.

Hanamiya rolled his eyes, but his mouth moved again, “To lure you into a trap of course; Let you lower your guard to make it easier for the spider to strike.”

“Ah... We were foolish then it seems.” Seijūrō said, glancing over at Teppei whom was pursing his lips together with rage.

“Which is so easy to do!” Hanamiya laughed.

That tipped Teppei over the edge, “You haven't tricked us at all! We're well aware you're a conniving, egotistical, sadistic psychopath!”

“You flatter me.” Hanamiya said, once again smiling.

“Will you idiots stop talking and run already!” Kagetora howled, earning another punch to his jaw that he spit out in a mixture of blood and saliva.

“Funny how they just can't leave a man behind. It's a weakness really.” Hanamiya said, clasping his hands behind his back.

“We've gotta work on your definition of weak!” Teppei snapped.

“No matter how strong you think you are, once you're broken, you're all just trash... Having a proper definition of weak doesn't matter because you'll just end up there anyways once I'm done with you.” Hanamiya said with a malicious laugh.

Teppei's throat rumbled with so much anger, so much fury that his wings started to bristle without his consent. His ticker brows were drawn down hard over his dark eyes as he glanced back at Atsushi, whom still held Riko tight with his hand over her mouth. She had stopped struggling, but her eyes were screaming with tears and desperation. He didn't need to hear her words to know what she was thinking, as he was thinking them too; Save him.

“What's it gonna take to get you to let him go?” Teppei asked, turning his ear to listen to the psychopath's words.

“Do you want an honest answer? Or mine?” Hanamiya asked, his mouth quirking up once more for his usual smirk.

“What do you think!” Teppei barked.

“D'aw... No fun... Fine. I want my #10 back, plus the seven colored wings. My price is non-negotiable.” Hanamiya said without a flinch.

“Will you fucking run!” Kagetora snapped.

“Shut up!” Hanamiya barked, plowing his knee right into Kagetora's nose to instantly make it bleed.

Teppei winced, “We won't take damaged goods!” He refused to look back at Riko, as he knew there was going to be a fuming glare.

“Whoopsie... I guess our deals off then.” Hanamiya said lowly.

“You never had a deal to begin with.” Kagetora coughed out, breathing heavily as he spit out more blood.

Annoyed, Hanamiya knelt down beside him and grabbed his chin with far too much pressure, making Kagetora wince from the added pain that pulsed in his jaw.

“Oh, I beg to differ. I'm willing to bet that I can make a deal with you.” Hanamiya said, forcing Kagetora to look at him.

“Try me.” Kagetora hissed as he panted through the pain.

“How about I leave your daughter alone? Let her live with what little freedom you've managed to garnish. She'll be taken to the base, of course, but I won't have her bred until she's dried up and barren.” Hanamiya growled through clenched teeth.

“Leave. Riko. Alone.” Kagetora said with his eyes so furious, so cold that even Hanamiya tilted his head.

“So that's her name... Riko. I like it. I'll give you that if you tell me where that tunnel leads to.” Hanamiya said, shoving Kagetora's head away and releasing his chin.

“I'll kill you.” Kagetora snarled.

“Is that so? If it wasn't for those awful wings, I'd almost say you were Human.” Hanamiya said with a grin.

Kagetora just spit in the man's direction, splattering Hanamiya's boots with blood and spit as he glared up at him. He knew this man's pension for cruelty, for acts so inhumane that it was a wonder he even had a soul. He was the worst of the worst and as a father, he would do anything to keep his baby girl out of this man's reach.

“Teppei?” Kagetora called out, holding Hanamiya's gaze whom had held up a hand to stop his men from hitting him.

No reply.

“Teppei, I know you didn't run, so listen up! You take care of my baby girl, you hear me? You protect her from all of this and you protect the others too! They're all we have left!” Kagetora called out, his eyes glassing over as he continued to stare up into the cold dead glare.

Teppei's hands started to shake and is eyes began to hurt deep inside his skull.

“How touching.” Hanamiya said with a frown.

“Teppei!... I've known you and Riko are together, but I didn't say anything because it's been a breath of fresh air to see her happy! I know you tried to hide it, but Riko's never been able to hide anything from me!” Kagetora continued as a tear fell free from an eye.

 _Please! Please stop this! Don't say anything else!_ Teppei thought, squeezing his eyes shut to shed his tears as his fists pressed into the stone, shaking his head and dragging his forehead against the boulders.

Hanamiya stood over the broken father with his crooked smirk in place and his hands behind his back, admiring the tears that fell down his bruising cheek and the blood that stained his skin. He looked around the encampment at all the unconscious Angelika, smiling even wider at all the new toys he was going to get to play with. All his patience had paid off to a degree, but since the ones he really wanted weren't cooperating, it decided that it was time to break them.

With just a glance to one of his men, that man drew his sidearm and pulled back the hammer with his thumb.

“Do you wanna know something?” Hanamiya asked out loud towards the rocks as the man with the pistol stepped behind Kagetora and pressed its muzzle into the back of his head.

All Teppei could do was shake as he wheeled around and took Riko from Atsushi, holding her to him so tightly that a part of him feared he would break her. He pressed his lips to her hair as her arms snaked around him to hold him in return and as they sank to their knees with their rising despair, all they could do was listen. All any of them could do was listen.

“The most truthful words ever to be spoken, come from the mouth of a dying man.” Hanamiya said coldly, just staring at the rocks.

Shintarō squeezed his eyes shut as he held Takao tighter, pressing his own lips to his hair as he leaned back against the cold stone of the tunnel. He could feel Takao shaking in his arms and his heart started to break the more he listened.

“I'm not dead.” Kagetora said with an airy cough.

“Aren't you?” Hanamiya asked.

There was no mistaking that tone, that cold, emotionless voice with their matching eyes. He knew this man meant every word and even if there was some semblance of hope that he could get away, he knew then that there really wasn't any. However, he was happy in knowing that his daughter, his baby girl that he loved so much, that he fought so hard to protect was safe behind those boulders with a boy whom loved her just as much.

“Can I say one more thing?” Kagetora asked, drawing in steady breaths as he dared to look up at the man standing above him.

“I won't deny a last request.” Hanamiya said.

With a soft gulp, Kagetora looked back to the collapsed tunnel as his eyes shed the last of their tears.

“Teppei... If you're still there... I want you to know one more thing,” he held his breath, “I would've proud to call you my son-in-law.” Kagetora said with a crack in his voice.

In that moment, Teppei's heart broke as Riko split in two, crying into his chest with uncontrollable, inconsolable tears that left searing hot streaks down his skin. She shook so badly in their shared despair that when Hanamiya's voice came through the rocks, they jolted with a start. As did they all.

“My condolences.”

Hanamiya snapped his fingers and no more than a second later, a loud pop rang through the cavern that the blocked tunnel couldn't stop. It echoed so much that it seemed as if it wouldn't stop, and all they wanted was for it to stop. Tears poured from all their eyes as Shintarō sank down against the stone, bringing Takao with him as he shook with sobs. Taiga and Tetsuya just plain couldn't stand as they dropped down onto all fours and Himuro and Atsushi just stood there with blind and blank expressions on their faces. Daiki, Ryōta, and the last two had to lean up against the stone simply to remain on their feet, but even Daiki's deep navy blue eyes screamed tears down his cheeks as the sound echoed off.

In that single second of time that normally wouldn't be granted a second look, thirteen hearts shattered into dust.

Hanamiya scuffed his boot clean from the blood and spit that stained its toe, using the shirt on the dead man's body laying face down in the sands. The man whom had pulled the trigger holstered his gun as the rest of the Lieutenant's men began to tie up and gather their unconscious prizes, beginning to carry them up the metal stairs in pairs simply to handle the weight.

“Load them to the choppers and get them all back to base.” Hanamiya said with a scowl as he glared down at Kagetora's body and the blood that plumed across the sand like an erupting volcano.

“What about those colored ones?” The man asked.

“Don't you worry about them. They're broken and eating out of my hand. They'll come to us... Now get going.” Hanamiya snapped firmly.

“Aye aye, Sir!... What do you want done with him?” The man asked with a point down at the body.

“Untie him and flip him over.” Hanamiya said with absolutely zero emotion in his eyes.

Hanamiya never once looked away as the man knelt down and began to untie the arms, legs and wings, letting them fall limp and lifeless before rolling him over. His eyes were frozen open, but unblinking, the hole in his cheek bleeding and spreading blood into every crevice. It was a face he had seen so many times before that it wouldn't even haunt his dreams and he most certainly wouldn't be losing any sleep that night. He was cold, he was detached, and he wasn't phased in the least but by the unseeing gaze staring up at him.

As the man began to reach forward towards those cold, lifeless eyes however, Hanamiya finally spoke up.

“Nuh uh... Leave them open.” Hanamiya said, never looking away from those far gone eyes.

“Sir? Aren't we taking him back?” The man asked.

“I'll have you answer your own question by asking you another. Are you ready?” Hanamiya asked, clasping his hands behind his back.

The man just nodded.

“What looks deeper into a man's soul than the eyes of a god?” Hanamiya asked simply, locking gazes with the lower ranked man.

The man gulped at the dead serious look in Hanamiya's eyes and every time he saw that look, his blood ran cold. It was the kind of look a man with no soul could only produce and it was one he actually feared.

“I-I don't know, S-Sir.” The man stuttered out.

“The eyes of a dead man. Leave him here.”

* * *

 

_**Hyūga: Dude... That was cold. Even for you.** _

_**Makoto: So? Boss Lady wanted chilling, so I gave it to her. Problem?** _

_**Teppei: I got goosebumps. I really did.** _

_**Makoto: (Glares) Where's my check!** _

_**Lycanwolff: When I give it to you. Relax before I smack those eyebrows off your face.** _

_**Makoto: Try it. Please, try it.** _

_**Shintarō: (Steps between them) You're work is done for this episode. Go home.** _

_**Makoto: Or what?** _

_**Atsushi: We'll all crush you.** _

_**Makoto: (Huffs and walks off)** _

_**Lycanwolff: (Scoffs) That guy creeps me out.** _

_**Imayoshi: And I don't?** _

_**Lycanwolff: Only in that weird “I've gotta keep an eye on you” way.** _

_**Imayoshi: I'll try harder.** _

_**Daiki: Please don't.** _

 


	15. Episode 15

**Episode 15**

 

**Author's Note: Here... Have a 27 page chapter to start your weekend. :D**

 

The air was so cold inside the tunnel, that without the warmth of the fires, every exhale was a plume of white mist. No one had moved in hours, but instead, just sat in silence while the small trickle of water from the stream kept their near silent sobs from being heard.

Riko had finally stopped crying some time ago, but Teppei refused to let her go, leaning back against the cold stone where he had stayed since the cavern grew quiet hours ago. His dark, puffy eyes stared blindly across from him, directly at Seijūrō whom just sat with his head in his hands and elbows on his knees. Shintarō was sitting upright, but cradled Takao against him in his arms whom had fallen asleep from exhaustion so absolute that his eyes hadn't even stopped shedding their tears once he had fallen into unconsciousness. Atsushi and Himuro had finally sat down after some time and just sat, taking in breaths that were tasteless and void of relief while the others, had simply gathered into a group just to stave off the cold that licked at their skin. No one dared to speak and frankly, no one knew what to say.

For hours, Seijūrō's chest hadn't stopped aching, hadn't stopped thunking against his sternum with a hard knuckle with each beat of his heart. The cold did little to ebb the ache, but as he finally lifted his head, the others whom were still awake seemed to come back in to reality.

“What do we do, Akashi?” Shintarō asked, his voice far gone as he held Takao closer to help keep him warm while he slept.

Seijūrō exhaled a shaky breath, “We get out of here.”

“How? The only way we can go is towards the canyon, but what if the Humans are waiting for us?” Tetsuya asked, noticeably shivering from the sharp chill in the air.

“We aren't going for the canyon.” Seijūrō said as he started to push himself to his feet.

“W-What?... B-But, Akashicchi-” Ryōta gulped, picking his head up from not far away, sitting at the curve in the tunnel with the other three.

“We won't discuss it, Ryōta. I will not have anyone else taken if the Humans are waiting for us at the canyon.” Seijūrō said, rising to his full height and looking at them all.

“Where else are we gonna go?” Daiki asked, tightening his arms around his knees to help keep his core warm.

“Out the way we came in.” Seijūrō said, resting a hand down on the cold boulders blocking the tunnel entrance.

“You can't be serious.” Shintarō said, turning his gaze down to make sure Takao was still sleeping in his arms.

“I am.” Seijūrō said plainly as he studied the rocks blocking their way.

“We aren't going anywhere.” Teppei finally spoke, his voice low and strained as he just held Riko with his lips to her hair.

“We are and that's the end of it. If we continue to sit here in the cold, in the dark, than we've let him win and I won't have that.” Seijūrō said, looking down at the Titan whom had yet to turn his gaze away from the stone wall.

“We're staying here-”

“We will not be staying, Teppei. I have made a quick and decisive decision, and we will get out this way.” Seijūrō interrupted, his face completely neutral and blank.

“I won't subject her to what's out there.” Teppei said in a much lower voice, finally tearing his eyes away from the black stone wall of the tunnel to look at the Emperor-wing.

“I'm not asking you to, but I won't let him lay there alone either.” Seijūrō said quietly.

Shintarō's lips parted as his brows furrowed, “They left him behind?” He asked ultra quietly, his fingers lacing through Takao's hair to rest his palm along his jaw.

Seijūrō just nodded as he looked through the small slit in the rocks, barely seeing the outline of a body laying in the sands with the dying firelight.

“I wanna see him.” Riko said suddenly, her voice hoarse as she sat up from Teppei's grasp and rested her hand on his chest.

“Riko... You don't have to.” Teppei said, the lump in his throat returning as he tucked a mussed lock of her caramel hair behind her ear.

“I have to. I wanna say goodbye.” Riko said in a near whisper.

Teppei's chest started to ache once more, but he ignored it as he took her hand and stood, helping her up in the process where he wrapped her back up in his thick arms to embrace and support her.

“Atsushi... Are you able to clear the debris?” Seijūrō asked, turning his gaze to the purple Titan still sitting against the stone.

At his name, Atsushi looked up from his hiding place in his arms, revealing half lidded eyes that were red, even in the dark. No one needed to ask to know he was hurting, they all were, and as he climbed to his full height, helping Himuro along the way, he rolled his shoulders back and cracked his neck.

“I wanna see him too.” Atsushi said, swiping his hand over his eyes to clear them.

Shintarō swallowed down his breath as he turned his face to Takao, still sleeping in his arms with his face half buried in his tank top covered chest. He gently shook him, sliding his hand to his cheek before leaning over and placing a soft, lingering kiss to his forehead.

“Takao... Wake up.” He said softly, sitting up as Takao's eyes began to flutter open.

“Shin-Chan?... Is it time to move?” Takao asked, his voice tired as he rubbed his eyes and sat up.

“Yes.” Shintarō said plainly, keeping a hand on Takao's back as both stood.

“Everyone step back. Give Atsushi some room.” Seijūrō said, stepping away from the crumbled blockage before everyone else followed.

As everyone stepped back away from the boulders, Atsushi stepped up as he cracked his knuckles, his wings rustling as they shifted and began to turn their color. The metallic silver began to bleed out from the base of the feathers and coat them in metal, still managing to glimmer despite the extremely low light. He arced them around to his front one at a time until they were crossed with their rigid, impenetrable form, where he leaned up against the rocks and hesitated.

“Not too much power, Atsushi. Do not hit him.” Seijūrō said quietly, stepping back one more step to the group gathered behind him.

“I couldn't.” Atsushi said.

Drawing in a deep breath, Atsushi's muscles began to flex and tighten, rippling his skin with so many rolling slopes that he looked like a statue. He was so strong, so huge that when he began to push his giant wings outwards, the boulders began to shift.

Their stony grind shattered the silence as they began to fall, tumbling down each other until they settled in the sands. The noise was so shattering that everyone cowered away from it, shielding their eyes from the pluming dust as the rocks plummeted. It was only a matter of seconds before the boulders settled and quieted down and as Atsushi stepped over then, his sad eyes set on the singular body laying in the sands, next to the arena.

The encampment was dark, as the fires had died down to embers, leaving the torches as the only source of light to battle back the shadows of the cavern. Darts laid strewn across the sands by the hundreds, forcing them all to watch their footing as they stepped over the rocks, or risk getting jabbed in their bare feet. It was so quiet that even the water made no sound and as Riko and Teppei finally emerged, their eyes followed all the other gazes to the body in the sands.

All Teppei could do was let Riko step forward, letting his hand run down her arm as she stepped away. He gulped as he forced himself to take a step, yanking a torch free of the sand as he followed her slow steps closer, but the closer he got, the closer _they_ all got, the more the light touched.

His eyes snapping wide, Teppei rushed forward and grabbed Riko before she got any closer to her father, shielding her from what his eyes laid upon. He didn't want her to suffer seeing them, to have that sight plague her at night and as he wrapped his wings around her to keep her from peaking, his eyes started to shed renewed tears.

“Don't look, Baby... Whatever you do, don't look.” Teppei said in a hushed voice, his watery eyes set on the dead gaze of her father.

Atsushi and Himuro both dropped to their knees at his side, their chests hurting as the others surrounded them and looked. His skin had paled to a cold ghostly white and the color from his eyes that had been dark, just like his daughter's, had drained of their life. They were dull, as cold as the air and wide open, his lips parted in an airless gasp and his chest was still. Blood no longer poured from the open wound in his cheekbone from where the bullet had exited, and his face was caked in drying blood that stained his entire front, including his wings that were unnaturally craned to one side.

“Aida-Chin bought us time.” Atsushi said, being the first to speak as he reached out and lifted Kagetora's body while Himuro fixed the man's wings.

“He accomplished his goal. He prevented us from being captured by Hanamiya and in exchange, he was-” Seijūrō was hushed when a hand cupped over his mouth.

“Don't finish... We can see it just fine with our own eyes what it cost him.” Taiga said a bit harshly as he took his hand away from the smaller boy's mouth.

“Sometimes, Akashi... It's best to stay quiet.” Daiki said, never looking away from those eyes as Atsushi and Himuro gently laid him back down in a much more natural position.

The truth was, was that he didn't want it to be quiet. The soft flick of the torch flame still in Teppei's hand, the quiet sobs as they began to renew and the sight of the eyes he had seen just yesterday so cold and gone all just made his chest shatter. It brought back the feelings he had felt when the old woman whom had raised them passed away, that feeling of utter abandonment, being set adrift in a sea of black that was never ending and was just aching to swallow him up. It made him feel, forced him to live what it was really like to love and lose and it was a pain that he dreaded.

For the first time in his memory, for the first time in all of theirs, Seijūrō Akashi, the crimson eyed Emperor-wing whom was destined to be the next Crimson Emperor, cried.

As Seijūrō buried his face into his hands, Ryōta comforted him by wrapping him up in his arms as he too cried. They all cried as they supported each other, mourning and with more tears falling, Teppei finally unwound his arm from Riko to let her say say goodbye to her father.

Riko broke into pieces as she dropped to her knees and hunched over, placing her hands on her father's head as she placed her tear soaked and quivering lips to his cold forehead. Her thumbs drifted over his eyelids, softly closing them so that he could truly rest and without the cold reminders, he looked as if he was doing just that. Her tears splashed down onto his lifeless skin and as she sat up and brushed his messy hair to the side before flipping his bangs, making his hair appear as it always did, he looked like they remembered, and it was how they always wanted to remember him.

Drying his eyes, Seijūrō drew in a deep, yet shaky breath before stepping up beside Riko and resting his hand on her only available shoulder, as Teppei's hand was on her other.

“We will see him off like he deserves. Atsushi... I know and understand this is asking a lot, but can you carry him?” Seijūrō asked, earning the giant's gaze that was as red as his.

“For as long as it takes.” Atsushi said with a hard sniffle before drying his eyes.

“We're going topside. We will find a proper place and build him a funeral pyre.” Seijūrō said, rolling his shoulders back to help steady his resolve.

Pulling away from Shintarō's embrace, Takao dried his eyes, “I know a place... Shin-Chan and I found a meadow not far from here. It's big and surrounded by forest.” He said, glancing up to meet Shintarō's exhausted and broken gaze.

“Then you will lead us. There's nothing left for us here, so gather only what you can carry. We're leaving and Kagetora is coming with us.” Seijūrō said, drawing in a deep breath.

“Come on, Aomine. Give me a hand putting a kit together.” Wakamatsu said lowly, lightly smacking the back of his hand against Daiki's arm to garnish his attention away from Kagetora.

“Ryōta? Yukio? We'll get what weapons we can carry. Come on.” Himuro said as he stood and stepped away with the two others close behind.

“We need a blanket for him.” Riko said lowly as she lightly sniffled, drying her face with her hands as Teppei's arm came to rest around her shoulders.

“We'll get one.” Shintarō said, taking Takao's hand before heading towards the closest tent to begin their search.

The encampment was so quiet as all gathered a few things to take with them. Shintarō and Takao brought back a sheet and placed it over Kagetora, covering him completely for Atsushi to wrap him and hoist him in up into his arms. They helped to tie the dead weight to his form so it would be easier to fly while Wakamatsu and Daiki returned with the med kit, a pair of large red backpacks that each had a hold of. Himuro, Ryōta and Kasamatsu soon returned with a few canisters of small caliber ammunition and only a few weapons, being a pair of long rifles and a small collection of pistols. It wasn't much, in fact, it was all that was left, as the Humans had ransacked everything else.

Taiga and Tetsuya had taken the longest to gather what they wanted to bring, as they had packed what food they could take. It wasn't much, only being breads and fruits and what else was easily carried, but should any of them actually get an appetite, at least there was something available.

With everything ready and Atsushi settled with Kagetora's body, they all started for the ridge and climbed the metal stairs, their footsteps sounding like far off thunder with each fall. They had all put boots on and packed a few clothes to handle whatever weather was outside, and as they reached the waterfall, they spread their wings and splashed through into the night sky.

It was a chilled night, but not wholly cold as they all flew, staying in a close group as they followed Takao and Shintarō back around towards the canyon. The moon was full and shone so brightly that the silver light lit the trees below and cast huge, long shadows along the ground. Stars glimmered across the black sky like far off gems and there wasn't a cloud to be seen, making the sky a monolith so large that it was almost as if they were flying in space.

No one spoke as Takao and Shintarō slowly arced down towards the approaching meadow, hanging their wings out for a slow glide before righting themselves and beating their wings into a hover. They all did the same as they touched down one after another and set down their loads, with Daiki untying the buckled straps that helped keep Kagetora firmly in Atsushi's grasp. He helped to rest the body down while the others began to build and between them all, whole trees were felled, cut and set into place.

By the time they were finished, the moon had crawled closer to the morning horizon, but none cared as they surrounded the pyre and watched as Atsushi and Teppei rested the wrapped body down on the bed of smaller twigs and dried leaves. Everything was ready and as they stepped back, Riko walked up with the lit torch in hand.

With the dryness of the leaves and wood, the moment the small flame touched them, they went up in a huge plume that was so bright that they all winced from the sting in their eyes, but it wasn't enough to make them look away. Riko thunked the torch into the ground as Teppei stood behind her, wrapping her up in his strong arms as they watched with no words said. Takao and Shintarō embraced each other, just swaying from side to side as the fire raged on and it was much of the same for all of them.

They were brothers, not just in arms, but in life. All they had was each other and none cared as they watch with arms embraced, but no more tears were shed. There just weren't any left to fall.

As the fire burned high into the night sky, Takao was more than content with letting the world forget any of them ever existed, slowly swaying from side to side with Shintarō against his back and his arms around his middle. His hands rested on top of his on his stomach as he blindly watched, his eyes only blinking when needed, but his ears couldn't help, but pick up the distance crunch of feet on the ground.

His eyes widening, Takao whipped around to look back at the forest, the sound of approaching footsteps being overshadowed by the threatening bristle of Shintarō's wings.

“Stop, Shin-Chan... Let me listen.” Takao said firmly, but with a hushed voice as Shintarō's wings silenced.

“What is it?” Teppei asked from next them, being the only one of the pair to look away from the burning fire.

“Someone's coming... More than one.” Takao said, his eyes shimmering in their amber orange as he scanned the darkness.

The others soon looked back at the forest with the tiny hairs on the backs of their necks rising from being on high alert. Every muscle tensed, their hearts started to beat faster, and as the shadows began to give way to a small group of outlines, they sprang into action.

Himuro pulled his twin pistols as Atsushi's wings flashed into metal while Ryōta and Yukio both raised and aimed the only two long rifles they had. Taiga and Tetsuya pulled their small swords from their sheaths along their thighs as Teppei pushed Riko behind him to shield her and Shintarō's wings spread to let the metal razor feathers sparkle as they bristled more, pushing Takao back with his arm, but when the Hawk-wing didn't move, he risked looking away from the trees.

“Get behind me, Takao.” Shintarō hissed out as a sharp order.

“We don't have to, Shin-Chin... We know them.” Takao said as he started to walk forward, much to Shintarō's protests.

“Takao!... Kazu!” Shintarō snapped, his eyes wide with terror as he reached out for his Hawk-wing.

“It's us!” Came a familiar voice, one that both he and Takao had heard before.

“Koganei? Is that you?” Takao asked, squinting slightly to see through more of the darkness.

“Yes. It's us. We're all here.” Said the voice as its figure stepped into the light of the fire.

Sure enough, Shinji Koganei, the cat faced guard whom had helped them while they escaped the base stood before them, wearing civilian clothes and with no indication that he was military at all. His eyes were sad, worried even and as more appeared from the shadows, everyone just stared in disbelief.

All of those whom had vowed to help Junpei Hyūga, to align themselves with his cause were there. Shun Izuki, Rinnosuke Mitobe, Satoshi Tsuchida, Kōki Furihata, Kōichi Kawahara and Hiroshi Fukuda were all there, all dressed in civilian clothes, but what snapped all their eyes wide, was the man being carried by Izuki and Mitobe.

“Junpei!” Riko yelped as she darted around Teppei and started to run towards them, but she wasn't nearly fast enough.

Before she could even make more than two steps, Teppei had launched passed her on wing, angry and with eyes so filled with fury that they could sear holes through a brick wall. He plowed his shoulder into Koganei's gut, flattening him out on his back while Teppei's feet dug into the ground to stand over him and his large hands around the man's throat.

“Why didn't you warn us! This is your fault! Kagetora is dead because of you!” Teppei roared, his grip tightening around Koganei's throat to the point where he was choking.

“Teppei! Stop!” Riko cried as she ran towards him.

However, Shintarō and Takao reached the vastly pissed off Titan first and were trying to drag him off, but his strength was so much greater than theirs that all they were doing was making him sit up straight.

“Stop, Kiyoshi! He didn't order that raid! He's on our side!” Shintarō yelled, wrapping an arm beneath Teppei's to gain some sort of leverage to help him pull him off.

Beneath him, Koganei choked and gargled as he weakly clawed at the Titan's wrists, trying anything he could to free his throat, but they wouldn't move. The lack of air was starting to take hold as his vision blurred and his hearing had begun to muddle itself as if he was underwater.

“Teppei! That's enough! You're gonna kill him!” Takao howled from Teppei's other side.

“This is his fault! Everyone was taken and Kagetora was killed because of this piece of shit! They didn't warn us!” Teppei snapped, tightening his grip even more.

“Stop now!”

At that order, Teppei's eyes widened as his whole body went rigid, his hands beginning to loosen from around Koganei's throat. Every fiber of his being wanted to choke the life from the Human below him, wanted to snap his neck and turn his head around backwards, but that order forced him to let go. The second his hands were free, he was pulled up hard with far stronger arms and it wasn't until he was tossed aside that he realized it was Atsushi. His footing stumbled on the ground and he fell down hard, where Riko was immediately by his side as both looked into Seijūrō's eyes; One was red, while the other was amber.

As Koganei coughed and clutched his throat, Kawahara and Fukuda were by his side to help him up. His eyes had gone glassy from being robbed of air so violently, but when he looked back to the group, they saw that it was from his own despair.

“We tried to. We tried to call you and warn you, but no one answered.” Koganei said, his voice roughened from being choked.

“What? Someone would've answered. Didn't the call go through?” Daiki asked, having run up to help in some way, but stood back to keep the chaos somewhat down.

“We don't know, but we tried... Honestly, we did.” Koganei said as he accepted the help to get to his feet, still clutching his throat.

“How long ago?” Shintarō asked, briefly glancing at Takao.

“About eight hours ago.” Fukuda answered to give Koganei some time to let his throat recover.

“Eight hours?... That party... No one answered because everyone was at the party.” Taiga said, his heart dropping down into the pit of his stomach.

“Please... We need your help. Junpei's hurt real bad.” Kogenei said, finally standing up straight and letting his hand fall away from his reddening throat.

“W-What? What's wrong with him?” Riko asked as she stood, letting Teppei lay in the grass on his own and not even seeing his returned glare.

“He was shot when we left the base. We don't have anywhere else to go... Please.” Koganei said, motioning for the pair carrying Hyūga to step up.

Izuki and Mitobe both stepped up from the back with Hyūga motionless between them, his head dropped back and his shirt covered in blood. His whole left side was wrapped with crude bandaging, but they had soaked through and were clearly still wet as the blood reflected the light of the fire.

“Oh my god-” Wakamatsu exhaled as he ran forward to help the pair lower Hyūga down into the grass.

“What happened?” Wakamatsu asked as others started to surround him.

“We were leaving the base after submitting our letters of resignation. It was the price for getting the info we needed to warn you, but when we tried, no one answered. We couldn't keep trying because we were forced to leave, but as we walked through the gate, he was shot. We don't know who did it.” Izuki explained, setting Hyūga's head down, but holding it upright so it didn't loll to the side.

As Wakamatsu began to unravel the soaked bandaging, his eyes scanned over Hyūga with rapid succession. His skin was pale and covered in a cold sweat and his breathing was short and labored. Just by looking at all the blood, he knew that Hyūga had lost a lot and as he peeled away the last layer of the bandages, he got his first real look at the ugly wound.

“Son of a bitch... It's a stomach shot. He's dying! Bring me the kit, Aomine!” Wakamatsu called out without even looking away from the wound, waving for someone, anyone to bring him some light.

However, Mitobe whom had yet to say anything, just pulled a small flashlight from his pants pocket and shone it down on the wound. With the new light, the Aurora-wing could see that the wound was still bleeding out slowly and with his sharper sense of smell, he caught the pungent hint of bile, gunpowder and lead.

“The bullet's in his stomach! Hurry it up, Aomine! We're running out of time!” Wakamatsu snapped.

Daiki ran to his side and dropped the med kits where Wakamatsu immediately tore one open and pulled on a pair of latex gloves under the worried gazes of everyone's eyes. They couldn't do a thing as they watched him pull a long pair of forceps from the bag and try to slip them into the wound, but the hole was too small.

“I need a knife.” Wakamatsu said blandly without even looking up.

With a ruffle of feathers, Shintarō pulled a razor feather from his wing and handed it to Wakamatsu whom immediately brought it to the deathly pale flesh of Hyūga's stomach. It cleanly sliced the hole bigger and with it, a pained grimace and a moan escaped from the injured man's throat. He never moved as Wakamatsu slipped the forceps into place and ratchet them open, spreading the wound wider to make room for the long set of tweezers that followed and began to dive into his body.

“Someone go heat up a razor feather. I need it red hot.” Wakamatsu said, his steady hand pushing the tweezers deeper into Hyūga's side.

A few more moans escaped his throat, but he made very little movement as Izuki continued to hold his head straight so he wouldn't choke on his own tongue. Wakamatsu's brows lightly furrowed as he listened, fishing around in the poor man's gut until he felt the tweezers graze against something hard.

“I've got it.” Wakamatsu nearly yelped, maneuvering the tweezers until they clamped down.

As he started to withdraw the tweezers, Ryōta walked up with a blazing hot razor feather in his cloth wrapped hand, handing it to Wakamatsu just as the tweezers popped free with the bullet in their grasp. However, instead of taking out the forceps, he readied the red hot razor feather to take the plunge.

“Tilt his head to the side and grab his tongue.” Wakamatsu said, hovering the razor feather over the wound.

“What? Why?” Izuki asked.

“Do it, or he chokes on it.” Wakamatsu said with a sharp glare.

Izuki gulped, but did as he was told, tilting Hyūga's head towards him before slipping his fingers between his slightly parted lips. He forced Hyūga to open his mouth before firmly grabbing his tongue and pulling it out just enough to keep him from trying to swallow it.

With a curt nod, Wakamatsu began to slip the burning razor feather into the wound that immediately began to sizzle and steam from the heat. Hyūga's throat ripped with a scream, but with his tongue between someone's fingers, it was weak and he couldn't close his mouth. The ones whom simply stood and watched cringed at the sight until Wakamatsu seared the wound completely, right down to his stomach before pulling the razor free and burying it in the ground.

“Daiki? I need a favor and you're not gonna like it.” Wakamatsu said, removing the forceps and letting the wound relax.

“What is it?” Daiki asked plainly.

“He's lost a lot of blood and if he doesn't get a boost from our healing abilities, he's gonna die. He needs a direct transfusion from an O. Find me that O.” Wakamatsu said bluntly.

“What? Why can't you?” Daiki protested with a shallow gulp.

“I'm closing his wound, Aomine! Do it, or he dies!” Wakamatsu snapped, digging around the med kit for a large curved needle and thick suture thread.

Daiki growled, but he stood up to follow the sharp order, closing his eyes and taking in deep breaths. The first few simply smelt like the raging fire, but he soon began to smell the heavy copper of blood. He could smell it right down to its individual cells and was laced with an undertone that almost smelt floral. It was an odd scent, but as he started to take in more breaths, he walked by each of them looking on and followed that very hint of floral to its source.

He didn't stop until he stood over the one person whom was least likely to help, the one whom had attacked so brazenly with anger so hot that it rivaled the flames. He still sat on the ground where he had fallen over, but he refused to make eye contact in his weak cowering at Seijūrō's feet. The O he found first was Teppei Kiyoshi.

He knelt down to finally come under the Titan's gaze, his eyes neutral, but still firm. He didn't make a move, but when Teppei's eyes shifted away to meet Riko's, seeing the silent plea in her eyes, he finally pushed himself up and walked over to where Wakamatsu knelt, nearly finished with closing the wound.

“I'm an O.” Teppei said lowly, kneeling down onto his knees beside Hyūga whom had thankfully seemed to pass out, but was still breathing with labored and shallow breaths.

Without even acknowledging him, Wakamatsu pulled a length of tubing and two catheter needles from the bag, thumping a finger against the crook of Hyūga's elbow to bring up a vein. He jabbed the needle into his arm and taped it down before doing the same to Teppei's and attaching the length of tube with the valve that held his blood back. He forced a squishy ball into Teppei's hand and ordered him to squeeze it as he attached the other end of the tube and cranked open the valve, and when he did, Teppei's blood flowed.

“Now, we wait.” Wakamatsu said, pulling off the bloodied gloves in exchange for a clean pair where he placed a gauze patch over the closed wound.

“Wait for what?” Ryōta asked, rubbing his upper arm as he just stared at the far gone look in Teppei's eyes as the Titan plopped down onto the grass.

“Angelika with Type O blood have an added enzyme that aids with healing. Kiyoshi's blood is gonna pump him full of it and it should close up the damage to his stomach in a matter of hours.” Wakamatsu said, finishing with taping down the gauze patch and pulling off the gloves.

“You knew I'd smell it out.” Daiki said, gripping the back of his neck.

“I need to be standing right next to someone in order to smell it, but your nose is acute enough to pick it up from a distance. You smelt that light aroma of floral didn't you.” Wakamatsu said, glancing back over his shoulder at the Wind-wing.

Daiki nodded, “Yeah. How'd you know?” He asked as Riko knelt down next to Teppei, rubbing his back, but not earning his thousand yard stare.

“That's it... That's the enzyme.” Wakamatsu said as he released a long sigh.

“So what do we do in the meantime?” Koganei asked, lightly swallowing as he sat down in the grass.

“We rest... That's all we can do while the enzyme works.” Wakamatsu said as he started to clean up.

As the Humans sat down on Hyūga's available side, leaving Teppei and Riko to themselves as best they could, the others sat down as close to the massive fire as its heat would allow. The grass was soft and dry, and beneath the stars and full moon, bathed in the heat from the pyre, they all laid down to try and rest. They wanted to rest, as they were just that exhausted, but many found themselves just watching the pyre claim the one whom had been taken from them.

Riko and Teppei just laid in the grass, embraced in each others arms as Wakamatsu kept a close eye on Hyūga's condition. Neither spoke as they looked into each others eyes, just laying in the grass with only an inch between the tips of their noses. Her fingers trailed softly down his cheek as his half lidded eyes just watched her and without even having to ask, she could see his sadness.

“I'm so sorry, Riko... I'm so sorry I couldn't save him.” Teppei finally said, his hand with the squish ball tensing every so often when he remembered to do it.

“It's not your fault, Teppei. He did what he had to do to save us... To make sure we could keep on fighting.” Riko said, sucking on her own lips to keep them from quivering.

“How're we supposed to do that without him? He's the one who taught us all.” Teppei said, his voice low and not even bothering to look at Wakamatsu as he checked his pulse with two fingers.

“Because he did teach us. That's why we'll keep going.” Riko said softly, rolling a bit closer to him to place a motionless kiss to his lips.

They remained silent for several moments in their stilled kiss, ignoring Wakamatsu as he closed off the tube connecting the two males and pulled the needle from Teppei's arm where he curled it to hold a lump of gauze in place. It wasn't until Wakamatsu turned his attention to Hyūga that their lips parted and they fell into each others eyes once more.

“I'm supposed to be the one comforting you, but instead, you're trying to lift me up. I don't really think I deserve you.” Teppei said lowly, his eyes falling to the grass with the feeling that he couldn't look her in the eye.

“We're both hurting, Teppei, and the only way to make it through this is together and the best way to honor him, to honor my father, is to carry out his words.” Riko said, returning her fingertips to drifting down his chest.

All Teppei could do was nod as his eyes glassed over, reflected in the bright orange light of the massive fire that continued to rage on. His heart continued to ache with dread, but having donated a good amount of blood to the dying Human laying in the grass behind him, he was absurdly tired. His eyes started to lid themselves and his breathing evened, and as Riko fluttered her hand down his cheek to help loll him off, she brought his head to her chest and held him until he slipped from consciousness.

The night continued to press on with the moon crawling every closer to dawn, but the night sky was still dark and the stars still twinkled overhead. While some slept, others just sat in silence, that was until Daiki and Ryōta set their eyes on the small group of Humans just sitting and waiting for their own to wake.

They shared a glance before pushing themselves up to their feet and giving their wings a shake to brush off any loose grass before trudging over, their approach going unnoticed until their forms blocked out a large swatch of light from the fire. Koganei was the first to look up at them, his eyes tired, but they could tell by their gaze that he was simply too exhausted and too worried to sleep.

“Koganei, right?” Daiki asked as he sat down with Ryōta in front of the gathered Humans.

Koganei nodded, “Y-Yeah. Shinji Koganei. Lance Corporal... Well, I was a Lance Corporal. Hyūga was the highest ranked of us. He was a Sergeant.” He looked over at Hyūga's resting form and listened to his uneven breathing.

“What did you guys do at the base?” Ryōta asked, curling his knees into his chest and wrapping his arms around them.

“Stable guards mostly. Koganei, Mitobe, Furihata and I were stationed in the Mare stables, and everyone else worked the Stud barn.” Izuki said, releasing a long sigh as he let his hands flop into his lap as he sat cross-legged.

Both Daiki and Ryōta cringed.

“C-Could you not use those terms?” Daiki asked with a furrowing in his brows.

“S-Sorry. It's just how we know them. If we called them by anything else, we tended to hear about it.” Izuki said.

“Your superiors wanted you to, so you would stay detached.” Ryōta said.

Koganei and Izuki both nodded.

“Yeah... We're supposed to look at you like animals, but we can't. You're people and we shared Hyūga's views that it's wrong. We tried everything we could, but it doesn't seem to be enough.” Koganei said, his eyes turning down to look at the lightly swaying grass.

“Was it you guys who helped Wakamatsu get free?” Daiki asked, glancing over to that very Aurora-wing, whom had laid down to rest after checking on Hyūga.

“Yeah... I was driving the truck and faked that something was wrong with it. We stopped to check it out and that's when Kagetora and his group came in and got him out.” Izuki said with a nod.

“Do any of you know any details about the base?” Ryōta asked, tightening his hold on his knees to trap a bit more of his body heat.

“We know a bit, but nothing like Hyūga does. He had access to the lower levels of the labs since he escorted the males and females to where they needed to go.” Izuki said with a brief glance over at Koganei.

“What for?” Ryōta asked.

“Females went into labor, or he was escorting the males to the harvest blocks. Every now and again he'd have to escort a Stock to whatever block they were working and those were the days he was usually pretty depressed.” Koganei said softly with a scratch to the side of his neck.

“I can understand why.” Daiki scoffed.

“Hyūga's the one who found #6 after he was killed by the Titan he was milking a while back. That really broke him up.” Izuki said as he released a long sigh.

“What was his name?” Ryōta asked.

Koganei shrugged, “We never found out. We tried to, but... Lieutenant Hanamiya had the body disposed of before we could. We wanted to because we all tried to make it a point to know all the Stock's real names. It helped boost their spirits.”

“You know Takao then.” Daiki said lowly.

Again, both Izuki and Koganei nodded.

“Yeah... There's four others in the Stock house as of right now. #5, #6, #7 and #9. Takao was #10.” Izuki said.

“I feel bad for 'em, but I feel the worst for the one who took over as #6.” Koganei added.

“Why's that?” Ryōta asked.

“Because he's the most sought after out of all the Stock. Takao was the one the Lieutenant sent in when they wanted a lot, but #6 is the one most of the Studs lust after.” Izuki said with a visible shutter.

“Quit calling him #6. What's his name?” Daiki asked flatly.

“Reo Mibuchi. He's incredibly pretty; Ludicrously long eyelashes. Soft bedroom eyes. Long black hair. Flawless porcelain skin and legs for days. If the older Studs even look at him, they're foaming at the mouth.” Izuki said with a cringe.

“Why do you feel the worst for him though?” Ryōta asked.

“He's a Razor-wing.” Koganei said.

“Like Midorimacchi?” Ryōta's head picked up.

“Yeah.” Izuki said.

“They cut off his wings, didn't they.” Daiki said lowly.

“No, they didn't. Every morning, he gets an injection of low grade muscle paralytic in his back. He can't move his wings at all and instead of letting them hang lifelessly, he ties them to his arms like some... fabric cape you see in those fantasy movies.” Koganei said, rubbing his upper arm.

“Jesus... We've gotta save them... All of them.” Daiki scoffed, slowly shaking his head.

“I just hope it's soon. The paralytic is starting to crystallize in Reo's back and if the injections don't stop, he'll be grounded for good.” Izuki said.

Ryōta and Daiki shared another concerned glance, but neither needed to say a word to know what the other was thinking. Where they wanted to sit and grieve, to forget this whole secret war even existed, there were others out there that needed their help. There were some that were slowly being killed, disfigured and tortured, used as playthings and looked at nothing more than numbers. They were the ones who needed help, and where they wanted to just give up, they knew that they couldn't, because Kagetora Aida wouldn't have. They were going to save those at The Farm and all they needed to do was come up with a plan.

* * *

 

There was nothing that he loved more than standing on the balcony and admiring the stars, how they twinkled and glimmered like gems just out of reach. He loved how the moon shone like liquid silver and its light bathed his porcelain skin to give him a ghostly hue. It made him feel like he wasn't there, like he wasn't trapped within the walls of a well kept house that was surrounded by guards and overly tall fences. It made him feel free despite his large ebony wings that hung useless from his back and were tied to his arms with soft ribbon the fluttered in the softest of breezes.

Reo loved the balcony he had earned for them all and every night since it was built, he stood and watched the sky, if at all the feel the breeze drift over his skin and ruffle the long silk robe that loosely wrapped his 6'2 frame. Drawing in a deep breath, his slate green eyes watched the far off and barely visible orange glow that hovered over the distant trees. It was strange to see such light that wasn't caused by the sunrise, but something told him that that far off glow meant something. He knew it in his gut and it was that feeling he chose to believe in.

He gently rested his hands along the railing of the large balcony, his perfectly manicured nails trailing over the wooden banister as if he was caressing skin. He leaned against it, the toes of a bare foot curling under themselves to put all his weight on one long and slender leg. His motionless wings were suspended from his arms, but his feathers still rustled softly in the breeze, and every so often, they would graze his skin like butterfly kisses. He was lost in the sight of the night, so much so that when the sliding glass door behind him opened, he didn't even look away.

“Reo-Nee?” Came a familiar voice, one that always made him smile no matter his mood.

Reo stood up straight and turned to see his friend, a boy no older than he with short golden blonde hair, big friendly eyes and with a tiny fang poking out from under his top lip.

“Good evening, Kotarō. How are you?” Reo asked softly, smiling as the boy shut the door and walked towards him, loosely covered by an identical silken robe.

Extending a winged arm, Reo rested his hand on the boy's cheek, much like a mother would, as he continued to gently smile down at him.

“Alright, I suppose. Ryō just went to sleep. Yoshitaka is with him.” Kotarō said, looking down at his bare feet, with an ankle wrapped with a detention collar that kept him inside the Stock house.

“Good... He needs the rest. Is he injured?” Reo asked, taking his hand away before looking back out at the landscape.

“Just the usual bites and scratches. He'll be ok.” Kotarō said, leaning his elbows on the banister to look out as well.

“And what of the Stud?” Reo asked without looking at him.

“Probably being beaten for damaging Stock.” Kotarō said, releasing a long and slow sigh.

“I see... He's an older Stud isn't he?” Reo asked, this time glancing over.

Kotarō nodded, “Yes. Just turned 30 this month. I imagine he'll be carted off to the labs here soon.”

“Most likely. I tried to take his place... To let Ryō rest tonight, but Hanamiya refused.” Reo said, drifting his fingers back across his own cheek to push some hair from his face.

“That's because Hanamiya's a monster.” Kotarō said, his eyes drawn down to look at the dark ground.

“What is a monster? To him, we are the monsters.” Reo said, capturing the other boy's gaze for a few seconds.

“I guess.” Kotarō shrugged as he leaned down to rest his chin on the banister.

With another gentle smile, Reo rested his hand on the back of the blonde's head, brushing his hair down from the soft breeze.

“Were you able to get it?” Kotarō asked, sighing as he leaned his head over to rest it against Reo's side.

“I did. I was also able to get it to Junpei before they were escorted off the base.” Reo said, continuing to stroke Kotarō's hair.

“I'm glad, Reo-Nee. I just hope they can get it to Kazu and the others.” Kotarō said, staring off into the distance at the far off glow.

“I'm sure they will... But whether Junpei will be alive by the time they do, all we can do is hope.” Reo said softly, turning his soft eyes towards the distance.

“I wanna hope, Reo-Nee,” he sighed, “How did you get it?” Kotarō asked, shifting his eyes up to look Reo in the eye.

With just a widening smile and a soft lick of his lips, Reo leaned down just enough to place a kiss to the top of the blonde's hair.

“You'd be surprised what a talented pair of lips can do.”

* * *

 

_**Ryōta: I love that outfit! You look so stunning, Mibuchicchi!** _

_**Reo: Thank you. I find it eloquent, yet still tasteful considering the nature of my part.** _

_**Ryōta: Oh I agree. Lycanwolffcchi's designs have really been great. I love the open backed shirts we have to wear.** _

_**Reo: As do I... And I have a feeling she does too considering the view. (Looks over at Lycanwolff and Shintarō talking)** _

_**Ryōta: (Snickers) We ship it.** _

_**Reo: Oh, I'm shipping it. That's kawaii as hell.** _

_**Ryōta: It's a good view though.** _

_**Reo: Quite a good view. Midorima is a built man, indeed.** _

_**Ryōta: Yup... And Lycanwolffcchi agrees.** _

 


	16. Episode 16

**Episode 16**

 

The light was bright, beaming down on his skin with such heat that it almost felt like he was laying too close to the pyre of flames. The side of his face felt as if it was burning, uncomfortably so, so with a long draw of fresh morning air, Kazunari Takao opened his eyes.

It was definitely morning, as the sun was just cresting over the tops of the trees and the giant funeral pyre had burned itself down to ash and charcoal. There was no evidence that Kagetora had been there and seeing that he was claimed in his entirety actually made him smile. He sat up with Shintarō's arm laying over his lap, but it was clear on his face that he had no intentions of waking up. He only smile down at him before leaning down and placing a kiss to his temple, but after he sat up, he slipped the arm from his lap and stood.

The others were scattered around, all still sleeping with the exception of one. Wakamatsu was up, knelt down beside Hyūga whom he had covered with a blanket. At first glance, Takao's heart stopped, but when he saw that the blanket didn't cover the Human's head, he saw that his eyes had actually opened.

He breathed a sigh of relief as he walked over, earning both their glances as he knelt down on Hyūga's other side across from Wakamatsu.

“Look at you... I almost didn't recognize you.” Hyūga said lowly, his voice a bit strained as he spoke.

Takao crookedly smiled and nodded, “Yeah... I'm uh... twenty pounds heavier.”

“It shows. You look healthier.” Hyūga said as Wakamatsu pulled the blanket up a bit higher to help keep him warm.

“Thanks... It's because of Shin-Chan and the others. I'd be dead if it wasn't for them.” Takao said, sitting on his heels.

“When I heard you escaped, I felt like we managed to win a round... We all did. Reo and the others though... They miss you.” Hyūga said, airily coughing a bit as Wakamatsu rolled the blanket up on his side to check his stomach wound.

“I miss them too. We'll get them out. We just need to figure out how.” Takao said, picking a long blade of grass to play with it.

“That's part of why we came to find you. Reo got me the keycard for the Stock house.” Hyūga said, swallowing down the ultra airy cough that threatened to break up his words.

Takao lightly gasped, “W-What? H-How?” He tried not to yelp.

“He uh... Even I can admit he's a sight for sore eyes. There's more than one guard who's fantasized about laying with him. One of them just took him up on the offer.” Hyūga said, lightly clearing his throat before licking his chapped lips.

“He laid with a guard? I bet Hanamiya was pissed.” Takao huffed with a quick look at Wakamatsu.

Hyūga shook his head, “I doubt he knows. Reo's the Queen of the Stock. He runs that place and he knows it. I was perfectly ok with it to be honest because it gave you guys some freedom.” He lightly winced as Wakamatsu gently pressed around the stitched wound.

“Ain't that the truth.” he scoffed before looking up at Wakamatsu once more, “He gonna make it?” Takao asked, tucking the blanket a bit tighter around Hyūga's shoulder.

“He'll make it. The enzyme in Kiyoshi's blood did the trick.” Wakamatsu said as he pushed the blanket aside to show Takao the wound.

However, when Takao's slate blue eyes set on what was supposed to be a nasty, stitched together wound with burn marks around it, was a slightly pink slit that was held tightly together by the suture thread. The skin around it wasn't angry, or tattered, or burnt, it was healthy and healing, a far cry from the bleeding hole that he had seen last night.

“It looks weeks along.” Takao gasped, bending down just a bit to get a closer look.

“A few weeks reduced to a few hours. That's what the enzyme does. The Humans have been farming it for years.” Wakamatsu said as he fully removed the old bandage to put on a clean one.

“What's gonna happen to him?” Takao asked quietly as he just watched.

Wakamatsu shrugged, “Not sure. To my knowledge, a direct transfusion between an Angelika and a Human has never been before.”

Hyūga lightly coughed a bit, “Well, if I sprout wings, one of you are gonna need to teach me to fly.” He weakly laughed.

“I don't think that's gonna happen. Humans don't have the muscle density to support wings.” Wakamatsu said as he gently pressed the new tape to Hyūga's skin.

Hyūga just huffed a laugh before lightly clearing his throat as Wakamatsu laid the blanket back down, letting his head loll back against the plush grass. His whole body felt heavy, weighted down and every inch ached, but so long as he remained perfectly still, he felt alright. He turned his head just enough to see the pair of Angelika laying not far away, only able to see the large back of the Titan with a small, lithe arm draped over his side. The soft smile faded as he regarded them and how they just hadn't moved all night and despite the Titan's actions the previous night, he understood.

“He hates us, doesn't he.” Hyūga said, clearing his ragged throat to keep from coughing.

“I think he's confused. He wants to hate Humans, but he can't bring himself to do it... Mainly because of her.” Wakamatsu said, fully sitting down and releasing a long and tired breath.

“So they are together?” Hyūga asked, turning his head to look back at them.

Takao nodded, “Yeah.” He said simply before glancing back towards where Shintarō was still sleeping and hadn't moved.

Hyūga's eyes shifted down to follow his line of sight, “You and him?”

Takao's shoulders slumped, “I'm not really sure and I'm not even sure how to explain it.” He started to pick at his fingernails.

“Must be a Hawk-wing thing then, huh?” Hyūga asked, but still with a soft smile across his lips.

Takao nodded, “Yeah. That's probably it.”

All Takao could think to do was return the gentle smile before looking back over his shoulder where he expected to see Shintarō still sleeping, but he was sitting up and scanning the meadow. He was obviously looking for him, and all Takao did was broaden his smile, which seemed to attract the emerald set of eyes behind black framed glasses as he smiled back and stood to walk over to him.

“Good to see you're doing alright.” Shintarō said as he knelt down beside Takao and rested a hand on his shoulder.

“I'll get there.” Hyūga said softly swallowed as he closed his eyes and rested back.

“We should let him rest. He still has a bit of healing to do.” Wakamatsu said with a few tucks of the blanket to keep Hyūga covered.

Shintarō just nodded as he stood and offered Takao his hand, only having to wait a moment while Takao gently patted the unconscious Human's shoulder before taking it. He helped his Hawk-wing to his feet before starting to walk away, still clutching Takao's hand in his with the grass softly swishing beneath each step. Takao was content until he saw the gray smear across Shintarō's cheek, spurring him to tug Shintarō to him and reach up.

“You have ash all over your face.” Takao said softly as he brushed his thumbs over Shintarō's cheeks, only to smear it more.

“So do you.” Shintarō said as he returned the gesture.

“I think I saw a stream from the last time we were here. It's off that way if you wanna get cleaned up.” Takao said, pointing down passed where Wakamatsu still sat next to Hyūga.

“Lets. A fresh start to help us think clearly.” Shintarō said as his fingers laced between Takao's.

Takao nodded as he let Shintarō lead him through the meadow and passed Wakamatsu on their way to the thick woods. The morning birds sung their songs without a care, and other small woodland creatures scurried away as they walked. The meadow was soon gone with a barrier of trees and not too much further came the quiet bubbling of that very stream they had glimpsed when they had hunted the chickens.

It wasn't large, but it was just big enough to provide enough water for them to cup in their hands. They knelt down and splashed the cold liquid into their faces, washing away the smudged ash and dirt from their long night, and when Shintarō caught Takao's gaze, he noticed the barest flicker of distance instead of the slate blue warmth they usually possessed.

“What's wrong?” He asked, reaching out to brush a lock of hair from Takao's face.

Takao shied into his own shoulders a bit at the touch, “It's nothing. I'm just tired still.” He lied, looking back at the trickling water instead of at him.

Shintarō's soft smile faded as he gently cupped Takao's chin, turning his face back towards him and when he leaned in to capture his lips with his own, Takao turned his face away to avoid the kiss.

“Kazu... What is it?” Shintarō asked, fully sitting down and scooting closer to Takao's side, never once looking away from his eyes.

Takao's chest started to ache, “It's just... What if it's easier not to get attached to each other in case one of us-” His voice trailed off at the thought.

Shintarō's brows furrowed, “In case one of us what?” He studied Takao's eyes as they became heavy with moisture.

“Dies. You saw how broken Riko was... I don't think I could bare it if I ever lost you.” Takao said with the slightest crack in his voice.

Shintarō clutched at his heart while he leaned forward just enough to look into Takao's eyes that seemed to be avoiding looking at him. He could see the thick bead of tears that danced along the edges of his lower lids and seeing that despair, that fear, only made his heart ache more.

“Kazunari... You think that staying away from me will make that hurt less should something happen? We're already attached. Just the thought of staying away from you makes my heart break. I would rather die knowing that... knowing that-” His voice caught in his throat.

That earned him Takao's eyes.

“Knowing what?” He asked in just above a whisper, his eyes sad as the first tear slipped over its barrier.

“I would rather die knowing that I loved you, than live on with the regret of having stayed away just to avoid the pain.” Shintarō said, turning his eyes down as he focused on breathing to keep himself under control.

“Shin-Chan?... Y-You love me?” Takao asked with another freed tear as he reached out and took Shintarō's hand away from his chest.

Shintarō nodded, “Yes. I admit that I fell in love with another man.” He looked over to meet Takao's shocked eyes.

Takao's breath started to shake, “B-But when we first met, you said you weren't attracted to men. I've always feared it was still true.”

“That's what I thought. My entire life, I thought I wanted a woman to love and cherish, but fate had something else in mind it seems. I found you and all of a sudden, all I wanted was to love and cherish you.” Shintarō said, wrapping his fingers around Takao's hand as he reached up and swiped away a tear from the Hawk-wing's cheek with his thumb.

At those words, Takao began to quietly sob, “Shin-Chan... I love you so much... I don't wanna see you die because of this stupid war. I don't wanna build a pyre and watch you burn. I can't see those cold, dead eyes as they stare into my soul. I can't... Please, Shin-Chan... Please tell me we're gonna make it out of this.” He quietly wept as he let Shintarō pull him to his chest and wrap his arms around him in comfort.

Holding Takao, feeling him shake with his emotion, only added fuel to his own fire as he squeezed his eyes closed and pressed his lips to the Hawk-wing's hair. His heart continued to ache with the thought of being apart from him, but there was no force in the universe that could pull them apart. Fate had brought them together, and he would be damned if fate was going to pull them apart.

Drawing in a deep breath, Shintarō softly slid his hands around to grasp Takao's head and coax him to sit up, looking into his tear stricken eyes that gazed back in desperate search of solid ground that he fully intended to give.

“With everything that I am, as an Angelika, as a Razor-wing and as your partner, I will make certain that you and I will make it out of this, whether it be alive, or gone. If anything happens to you, I'll follow. I won't live this life without you by my side. Kazunari Takao... I'm in love with you and I will never stop loving you.” Shintarō said, softly sucking on his lips as his thumbs drifted back over Takao's cheeks.

As much as the tears still came, Takao found himself starting to smile as he raised his hands and rested them over his. His smile reached his eyes as Shintarō's own grew and as they smiled and the weight started to lift, both leaned into each other to claim their lips for their own.

At first, it was motionless, as still as the trees without the breeze, but that only lasted a few moments before their lips started to move. The sounds of soft suckles soon began to be heard over the bubbling of the stream as Takao relished in just how soft and delicious Shintarō's bottom lip was. The slight salty flavor mixed with his saliva warmed Takao right down to his bones and it was that wave of fizzling warmth that spurred him to shift and swing a leg over Shintarō's lap to straddle him.

Needing air, Takao sucked hard on Shintarō's lip, pulling an airy moan from the Razor-wing's throat before letting it slip free from between his teeth. His eyes were half lidded as he stared into the emerald sea and with Shintarō's hot breath misting over his face from how close they were, Takao ran his hands down the man's chest.

“You're the first man I've actually wanted to pleasure.” Takao said, softly trapping his own bottom lip between his teeth as his hands trailed down Shintarō's chest to traipse over his strong abs.

However, before Takao's hands could reach the hem of his muscle shirt, Shintarō grabbed them and brought them back up to hover over his speeding heart.

“You won't be pleasuring me.” Shintarō said lowly, bringing Takao's knuckles to his lips to kiss each one.

Takao's brows lightly furrowed as his lip popped free, “W-What? Why not?... I mean... I'm the one with the experience.”

“You were forced to have that experience, but not with me. You spent six months being used as a fuck boy and I won't become just another Stud, whether you want to, or not. I love you too much to let that happen. Until I deem it time, I'll be the one pleasuring you.” Shintarō said lowly as his eyes flicked up with a sultry gaze.

Falling under that half lidded stare, Takao's whole body began to tremble at the thought. His abdomen churned with want the more he thought about it and with each kiss to his fingers, that same heat that had begun to radiate from his bones, began to gather around his hips.

“S-Shin-Chan-”

The name fell off his tongue as he bit his bottom lip again, the growing heat in his abdomen beginning to thump and ache, but when Shintarō drew his pointer finger into his mouth, letting those very lips he craved slick over his skin, Takao broke.

“I-I can't... N-Not now... I-I'm sorry.” Takao stuttered, shaking as he took his hands away from Shintarō's grasp and sucked on his lips to try and stay calm.

Takao hadn't realized it in his growing arousal, but his heart had started to thunder painfully hard and his mind had became jumbled with so many memories and thoughts that he was getting dizzy. He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes to fight against the dizzy spell, but he soon felt himself teetering on the edge of falling until he was caught in strong arms that brought him into his safe harbor.

“Ssh-... It's ok, Kazu... It's ok. Nothing will happen until you're ready.” Shintarō hushed softly, brushing Takao's damp hair from his face and placing a kiss to his temple.

Instead of trying to respond, Takao took several minutes to calm down, taking in steady breaths that he had to make a conscious effort to keep that way. His lungs twitched with wanting to make him pant, and if he allowed it, he would hyperventilate. He wanted to be intimate with Shintarō, wanted to embrace each other and please each other, but at the same time, he was terrified. All he'd ever known was forced pain and one sided pleasure, but this was different; This was returned and it scared the hell out of him.

“I'm so sorry, Shin-Chan... You can take me to release your frustrations if you want.” Takao said softly as he sat up, still straddling Shintarō's lap, but once again, with that far off look in his slate blue eyes.

However, Shintarō shook his head, “Absolutely not. I'm not frustrated at all.” He said, his voice truthful and calm.

“R-Really?” Takao asked, biting the corner of his bottom lip as he looked down, expecting to see the lie, but there wasn't one.

Shintarō smiled sweetly as he leaned back on one hand and reached up to brush back another lock of Takao's hair with the other, “See?... There's nothing to fear.”

Takao's cheeks burned just as hot as his gut did, “I-Is it because you really aren't attracted to me?” He dared to meet the emerald gaze.

“Oh, believe me... The other me wants nothing more than to be with you. That I can promise.” Shintarō said with a mild laugh.

Both he and Takao softly laughed as they fell into others eyes where Takao bowed his head to rest his forehead against the others. His eyes had stopped shedding their tears and the fierce heat had begun to cool, bringing relief as he drifted his fingers down Shintarō's cheeks, but he was so lost in the emerald green of his eyes that he failed to hear, let alone notice that a third was leaning against a tree.

“You two are so kawaii.” Ryōta chuckled, leaning a shoulder against a tree with his arms crossed.

With a start, both sat up stick straight as Takao slid off Shintarō's lap, his cheeks renewed in their burning blush as his partner pushed up his glasses and cleared his throat, only to look away from their unexpected company to hide the furious blush that colored his entire face.

“Do I even want to know how long you were standing there?” Shintarō gulped as he pushed himself up before offering his hand to help Takao, still avoiding from looking at Ryōta.

“Long enough to not wanna leave.” Ryōta said with a wink.

Takao buried his face in both hands to try and hide as Shintarō stood in front of him, shielding him from view which he was grateful for.

“I should pierce your other ear.” Shintarō growled a bit as he wrapped his arms around behind him to hold Takao to his back.

“Ouch... Please don't. The first one hurt enough.” Ryōta visibly shuttered.

“Is there something you needed?” Shintarō asked, glaring over the top of his glasses.

“Actually, yes. I came to find you two. Akashicchi and everyone are up. We're starting to come up with a plan.” Ryōta said, pushing off the tree.

“Then we'll head back.” Shintarō said plainly before taking Takao's hand and heading back towards the meadow.

Takao still tried hiding his furious blush, but as he and Shintarō stepped passed the Golden-wing, it only got worse. Ten-fold.

“Oh, Shin-Chan! You're so manly! Love me!” Ryōta teased happily, but his voice was very distinctively that of Kazunari Takao's.

“Go die, Kise!” Shintarō barked, his own cheeks instantly radiating with a deep seeded red.

Ryōta just laughed as he followed the pair back towards the meadow, and as they emerged from the trees, the others were already gathering around the burnt down pyre. Riko was scooping a small amount into a vial while Teppei stood over her, and Koganei was helping Hyūga to his feet with Izuki's help. The other Humans had gathered with everyone else to start their planning and as Shintarō, Takao and Ryōta arrived, all their expressions set hard on the pile of ashes.

“Where do we even start, Akashi? I mean, with the Humans here, we have some insight, but how the hell are we gonna plan an assault with just us?” Taiga asked, crossing his arms as he set his deeper red eyes on the smaller redhead.

“We'll start by getting information on the base.” Seijūrō said, drawing in a deep breath as he folded his arms across his chest.

Without a word, Himuro dug around in his bag that he had brought and pulled a folded paper that unfurled to show an overhead photo of the base. He set it down on the grass and put rocks down on each corner as the others all knelt down, surrounding it entirely and clustered together so all could see.

“This white building here is the Stud barn.” Koganei said, putting a finger down on the square white building that the boys had seen the truck deliver the Angelika to.

“I thought that was the labs, or something.” Taiga said with a shrug.

“Those are underground. Level 7.” Takao said plainly.

“He's right. The specimen cages for the labs are on levels 4-7. The med bay is level 8. This building here is the chopper hanger and this one here is the Mare stables and nursery paddock.” Koganei continued, pointing to each building in the photo.

Himuro pulled out a marker and tossed it to Koganei, whom then began to mark the photo with which building was what.

“What about that one? This house looking one. Does the General live there?” Ryōta asked, pointing to another white square building that was hidden behind the Stud barn.

“That's the Stock house.” Takao said.

“It's actually... a house.” Daiki deadpanned with an arced brow.

“Yeah. The Stock are probably the most well treated out of all the Angelika there. When I was there, every month was a full physical to make sure I was healthy to their degree.” Takao said, plopping down to fully sit and with his knees tucked into his chest.

“Then how in the hell did they miss that infection!” Wakamatsu suddenly yelped with harshly furrowed brows.

Takao shrugged, “Must have developed after my last physical. I was a couple days away from getting my next one when Shin-Chan and I broke out.”

“So all we have to do is bust down the front door right?” Taiga asked with a crooked smirk, only for it to fade when all the Humans, plus Takao, shook their heads.

“No front door. The only way to access the Stock house from the ground is through the underground passageway from Level 1 of the facility.” Hyūga said, his voice still harsh and raspy as he fished the keycard from his pants pocket.

“How do we access the passageway?” Seijūrō asked as Shintarō took the keycard.

“Take the elevator to Level 1. That's accessible in the chopper hanger.” Koganei said simply.

“Does this facility have some sort of self destruct capabilities?” Seijūrō asked, drawing in a deep breath.

All the Humans nodded.

“Yes, but you have to access it from the underground facility itself.” Hyūga said.

“You wanting to blow it, Akashi?” Daiki asked, shifting his gaze over to the redhead.

“This facility has tortured and engaged in acts of forced prostitution and slavery. It's only proper that we burn it to the ground.” Seijūrō said with a growl laced into his usually calm and collected tone.

“And save as many of the Angelika as possible-” Teppei started, but stopped when all the Humans started shaking their heads again.

“The women and children, yeah, that'll be easy, but the Studs?... Not the older ones.” Hyūga said, gripping the back of his neck.

“What?... What do you mean?” Teppei asked, his brows furrowed as he glared.

“The older Studs are set in their ways. They're animalistic and need to be watched when they're being milked, or we risk them seriously injuring, if not killing the Stock.” Hyūga said with a soft rub of his throat.

“Just letting them out would be a very bad idea. They've spent their entire lives ever since turning 15 having sex with other teenage boys, so the second they're free, they'll seek one out whether it be Angelika, or Human.” Izuki added.

“So we have to decide whether it's more cruel to leave them alive, or release them from this life.” Seijūrō said as he just stared down at the marked up photo.

“I'm afraid so. The younger ones like the 15 through 18 year olds, we can probably save, but the ones that are 25 to 30... They're minds are gone.” Koganei said.

“They've been conditioned for 15 years... It's enough to leave a lasting impression.” Kasamatsu said with a sigh.

“Now wait a fucking second,” Daiki snapped, his brows furrowed, “Are we seriously talking about this?”

“Daiki... We have no choice. If it will be a greater danger to free the older Studs, than we can't subject those we can save to it.” Seijūrō said, his voice calm and steady.

“That's bullshit! We're an endangered species, Akashi! We need every one we can get!” Daiki roared as he thrust a finger in Serjūrō's direction.

Seijūrō's brows furrowed hard as he rose to his feet, “I will not subject our people to a danger that could possibly be more traumatizing than what they've already lived through! I will not risk the well being of my brothers, or my friends and that includes you, Daiki! What if we let them out and one of those Studs decide he wants you? What if we let them out and they go after Kazunari? Ryōta? Taiga? Shintarō? Teppei? Atsushi? Tatsuya? Yukio?... Or what if they go after Tetsuya? How would you feel then if we took that risk, gambled with those we hold dear, only to lose to the house?” He boomed with clenched fists.

Daiki gulped, “You're suggesting that we kill our own.” His voice was low and shaky.

“They aren't our own if all they want is to seek out a playmate... willing, or not. I refuse to allow that to happen to anyone. If it needs to be my decision, than so be it. I will bare that weight alone and as the future Crimson Emperor, I will not tarnish whatever fresh start we might earn by releasing a wave of terror.” Seijūrō said, his voice returned to normal, but still firm as he stared at Daiki.

Daiki wanted the words to come, but having fallen under the crimson gaze that he couldn't look at, all he could manage was a slow exhale as he sat back down. He closed his eyes and dropped his head to his chest as Ryōta wrapped him up in his arms, comforting him as he grabbed two fistfuls of grass. He didn't like the idea, didn't like notion of elimination anyone, especially Angelika, but he had to be honest with himself. If anything were to happen to any one of his brothers, it would tear him to pieces. If these Angelika were too far gone, too lost, than he had to ask himself the question of what was more cruel; Letting them live that way, or setting them free.

“If that's what you want.” Daiki finally spoke, but didn't bother moving from Ryōta's embrace.

“Do not think that this is your decision, Daiki. This is mine and mine alone. Those that are too far gone will find quick and painless deaths. They will be free in the truest sense.” Seijūrō said as he sat back down himself.

“The older Studs are kept in glass walled cells. They're equipped with gas vents in case one of them gets out of control while being milked. It puts both the Stud and the Stock to sleep, but too much and it'll stop the heart. They've done it before.” Hyūga said after a few silent moments, earning every set of eyes.

“Wait... I thought the Studs were milked in the harvest blocks underground.” Shintarō said, his brows lightly furrowed as he glanced at Takao.

“The younger ones are. The older Studs are too dangerous to move, so they get milked in their cells in the Stud barn.” Koganei said as he gnawed on the inside of his bottom lip.

“I've been gased before... It was my first time. I woke up 16 hours later in the medical bay with four broken ribs, a fractured pelvis and 37 stitches.” Takao said, tucking his knees to his chest as Shintarō softly ran his hand down his arm.

Wakamatsu just sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“My god... How long were you down for?” Taiga asked, his brows lightly furrowed and lips parted.

“I was out three weeks later and right back to it.” Takao said.

Wakamatsu sighed again, “He's an O blood type.”

Daiki sat up straight, “What? But I didn't smell that floral scent from him. Just the sweaty boy, musk and-... Oh... Nevermind.”

Takao's cheeks started to blush as he shied into his shoulders, but he nodded with a brief sidelong glance at Shintarō whom seemed to have the same blush he did.

“Yeah... Look; The gas they use is nasty. If you even breath a little in, you'll feel it.” Takao said, hugging his knees tighter as Shintarō ran slow circles along the small of his back with his fingers.

“He's right. Once the gas is unleashed, the cells go into lock down mode and become airtight. Gas won't leak out then.” Hyūga said with a subtle clearing of his throat.

“But how do we do that? Parade the Stock in front of the cells?” Ryōta asked with a crinkling along his brow.

“That's one way. Just having Reo walk down the block will send the older Studs into a frenzy. It'll also weed out the ones we can't save.” Hyūga said, drawing in a slow breath that was strangely void of any pain.

“We let the ones who aren't freaking out, out of the cells.” Teppei said, slipping his hand into Riko's that was sandwiched between them.

Hyūga nodded, “Exactly. It's pretty crude, but it works. I know Reo will agree to it.”

“How?” Riko asked, glancing up at Teppei for a short moment.

“Because Reo always tried to lessen our pain. He cares about us and if we were too scared, he'd request he take our place instead. It worked for a time, but Hanamiya got tired of it and started refusing them.” Takao said, resting his chin on his arms.

“How long as Reo been Stock?” Taiga asked.

Takao shrugged, “At this Farm... He took over as #6 when the previous one died. He was shipped in from Farm 4 where he was Stock since he was 16.”

“How old is he now?” Seijūrō asked quietly.

“He's 18.” Takao near whispered.

“Oh my god... How has he lasted that long?” Wakamatsu asked with a look of disbelief on his face.

“He always told us when we were really depressed that we had to be soft on the outside, but tough on the inside. We all looked up to him because in a way, he gave us strength.” Takao said as he released a slow sigh.

“Why was Reo transferred from Farm 4?” Teppei asked, his brows drawn down as he stared at Hyūga.

“He killed a Stud.”

“What?” Everyone gasped with mouths agape.

“He was milking another Razor-wing, an older one; 35 years old I think. He was Farm 4's prized Stud, but that day, he lost it. Things were going fine at the start, but he snapped and started beating the tar out of him. It took a moment for Reo to get his bearings back, but once he did, he laid him down. He did this... leap and wrapped his legs around the Stud's midsection and just started squeezing him tighter and tighter with his thighs like he was a boa constrictor. The Stud tried to get free, but he couldn't and then after this huge pop, the Stud just dropped dead at his feet.” Hyūga explained.

“Reo told us the story... His old Farm did an autopsy and he had squeezed the Stud so hard that he broke all of his ribs and they caved in on his internal organs. It was shortly after that he was transferred.” Takao added.

“Sounds like he's not to be trifled with.” Seijūrō said simply.

“Not at all. You cut Reo lose, no guard is gonna stand against him.” Koganei said.

“Takao and I will go. We'll get to the Stock house and cut them loose. It sounds like Reo's our best bet to make this all happen.” Shintarō said, ceasing his slow circles to fully rest his palm against Takao's back.

“I'm going with you. I want Hanamiya.” Teppei said flatly and with eyes that clearly said he would not be swayed.

“It wouldn't hurt to have a Titan with you. The Stock house is heavily guarded during the day.” Izuki said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Just so you know, Kiyoshi; There is no plan to kill him.” Shintarō said, keeping their gazes locked.

However, Teppei just stayed silent as they stared at each other, his brows flat and his eyes cold. None sitting around the map needed to ask to know just how angry the Titan still was, but when he stood and started to walk off, there was only one that was brazen enough to follow him.

“Teppei... Please.” Riko tried as she jogged after him, his storming pace towards the trees far outpacing her meager stride.

All she could make out was his fists tightening as he walked, his feathers rustling from the tension that ran from the base of his wings, all the way to their tip. The portion of his back she could see was rippling with muscle and shifting with each step he took and they only got tighter once he drew his arm back and slammed his knuckles into the first tree he could reach.

The strength of a Titan was unmatched, so when his fist smashed into the trunk, it left a divot an inch deep, splattering splinters and chunks down onto the ground as if the trunk was hit with buckshot. His face was still rock solid, and when he pulled his fist from the wood, she saw the red streams of blood seeping from splits in his skin.

“Teppei-” Riko exhaled as she stepped closer to him, taking it slow so not to anger him more.

All Teppei did was chew on his lip as he watched Riko examine his bleeding knuckles, but he was so angry, so heated that the punch to the tree did little to curb his fury. He wanted retribution, wanted justice, but how to get it and still be able to live with himself, he didn't even know where to start.

“I want his head, Riko.” Teppei finally breathed out as she used her own shirt to clean his knuckles.

“And what will that accomplish? What do you do then?” Riko asked, looking up into his eyes with real concern in hers.

“I'll figure it out-”

Riko shook her head, “No, you won't, Teppei.”

“Yes, I will. Every one of them deserves to be punished for what they've done.” Teppei said coldly as he forced himself to take in slow breaths to help keep himself calm.

“Why do you hate the Humans so much?” Riko asked, stopping her work of caring for his knuckles.

“Because of what they did to me, Riko.” Teppei said.

Riko's brows furrowed, “Did to you? What're you-”

Her words instantly silenced when he lifted his upper lip, revealing the small string of numbers tattooed to his flesh. She had never seen them before, had never had any sort of indication that they were there because they were so well hidden behind his lip. She didn't know what they were, nor what they meant, but by the glassy gaze in Teppei's dark eyes, she knew they were a constant reminder for him.

“T-Teppei... What are those?” Riko asked, raising her hand to rest it against his cheek.

Teppei released his lip, “My serial number.” He said lowly.

“Serial number? For what?” Riko asked, taking her hand back to return to caring for his knuckles.

“I was apart of a super soldier program when I was five and they injected me with this... serum. It sent my entire body into a fit of fire so hot that I just wanted to die. I burned for four days. I cried for four days, locked in a soundproofed room by myself so they couldn't hear me scream. They left me there to rot and when it was all over, they came and got me and did it again. I hate them for torturing me for two months as if I didn't matter and I can't find it in my heart to forgive them.” He said as a singular, yet massive tear fell free of an eye.

Riko couldn't breath as she looked up at him, ignoring the stings in her own eyes as she released his hand and reached up to grasp either side of his jaw. He didn't refuse as she tugged him down to rest his forehead against her shoulder, but instead of trying to stay on his feet, he dropped to his knees.

“Teppei... I'm so sorry.” She whispered, stroking his hair and placing a soft kiss to his temple.

“Why do they look at us like that? How could they look at a five year old and see a test subject? I was five... Just a baby and they made me burn like I was in purgatory.” He said, his voice soft and barely there.

“Do you know why?” Riko asked as she continued to stroke his hair.

“They were trying to make obedient, loyal super soldiers by torturing babies and injecting us with their serums. That's all I know.” He whispered, his heated breath steaming up her skin.

Riko's heart ached at hearing that, as all she wanted to do was comfort and sooth him. He was born to be used as a tool, not because a mother wanted him, but rather a scientist did. He had lived his life thus far knowing that he only existed because someone looked at him and thought he would make a perfect test subject. It all made sense to her now; Why Teppei was such a tender lover, and caring friend. He was desperate to feel wanted, to be told that he wasn't alive because some lab wanted to see what they could turn him into. He wanted to know that he was alive because someone loved him.

“I won't try and find a reason for what they did, but right now, those Humans out there, who've helped us time and time again, see us as equals and you saved one of them.” She said, continuing to stroke and hold him.

“Only because I had to.” Teppei mumbled.

“Did Akashi order you to?” Riko asked.

With a soft sniffle, Teppei lifted his head to look into her eyes, still glassy and heavy, but they didn't shed anymore tears.

“N-no.” He exhaled, slowly shaking his head.

“Then you didn't have to do anything,” her thumbs drifted over his cheekbones, “You don't want to hate them anymore, Teppei. I can see it in your eyes. It takes so much energy to hate and the sooner you let it go, the lighter you'll feel.” She said, bowing her head to rest her lips against his forehead.

All Teppei could manage was a nod of his head as he reached up and grasped her hands, closing his eyes as he just breathed to calm his mind. He had held onto that hate for so long, that it was almost scary to think about living life without it, but with her here with him, keeping everything in focus, he was willing to try.

Looking up at her, his lips parted as he prepared to speak, but at the soft crunch of approaching footsteps, they both looked over to see Tetsuya Kuroko.

“I don't mean to interrupt, but Takao-kun says he has an idea.” Tetsuya said softly as he stopped a few paces away.

Both Riko and Teppei nodded.

“Lets go plan and end this for good.” Teppei said as he rose to his feet, grasped her hand, and headed back with every intention of releasing the hatred that had burned for so long.

* * *

 

_**Ryōta: Gah!!!! Hurry it up already! The frustration is killing me!** _

_**Tetsuya: (Eats popcorn) I agree. Do get on with it, Midorima-kun.** _

_**Shintarō: (Shaking with so much embarrassment) K-K-Knock it off! Why can't you guys realize it's for the show?** _

_**Ryōta: Because it's super sexy. (Grabs some popcorn)** _

_**Takao: See, Shin-Chan? We have fans!** _

_**Shintarō: (Pushes up glasses) I don't want fans!** _

_**Daiki: Bullshit.** _

_**Taiga: Quite lyin'.** _

_**Atsushi: Too late. (Eats popcorn)** _

_**Shintarō: (Growls) I hate you all!** _

_**Takao: No you don't!** _

 


	17. Episode 17

**Episode 17**

 

**Author's Note: So um... NSFW. Just sayin'.**

 

Their plan was set. Every detail had been worked out and it had taken them all day, well into the evening hours and until the sun had set. The sky had darkened once again as night approached, but instead of beginning their plan which required it to be night, Seijūrō Akashi had told them to rest and gather their strength.

The sky was a darkening blue, only dotted with a few larger stars that were strong enough to appear before the sky grew black and the air was oddly warm. The breeze that gently blew through the meadow was almost hot against his skin and having sat in the sun nearly all day, just like everyone else, it was already uncomfortably heated. He wanted it cooled off and to get a drink of water, so with a heavy sigh, Takao sat up from laying in the grass and rubbed his neck.

“Everything alright?” Shintarō asked, laying next to him and with his hand on Takao's back while he stretched a bit.

Takao nodded to buy him time to finish his yawn, “Yeah. Just feel... gritty. I wanna go take a bath.” He dropped his arms down into his lap as he looked over.

“That sounds like a good idea, but I'm not sure where to go.” Shintarō said as he sat up, taking his hand back to lightly massage his stiff neck.

“That stream comes from somewhere. Why don't we follow it up?” Takao suggested, softly smiling over at him.

“I suppose we can, but that stream could go on for miles before we find its source.” Shintarō said, running a hand back through his hair and not at all happy with how it felt.

“We won't travel far. If we don't find it, we'll just use the stream.” Takao said, looking down to the grass as his fingers plucked a blade to play with.

Shintarō briefly smiled, “Alright.” He said, brushing his hand down Takao's hair.

With a soft blush coloring his cheeks, Takao stood while Shintarō told Seijūrō where they were going. He stretched again with his arms high over his head, softly groaning as his muscles woke up from remaining still for so long. He needed to move, whether it be for a walk, a short fly, or whatever it be, but he just needed it, or he ran the risk of turning into a statue.

He finished his stretch as Shintarō returned and both started off back towards the woods. Their hair felt heavy from grime and ash and their skin felt like it was covered in chalk dust from the day's sweat, as it had been a day of sun and hot winds. Getting to wash it all off, including their worries and doubts felt like a welcomed vacation and as they reached the small stream, they started to follow alongside it in their search for a body of water.

As they walked hand in hand, just enjoying each others company and the sound of trickling water beside them, the pair soon found the stream broadening into a creek that spilled from a pool at the base of a small waterfall. It laid back against a steep embankment, softening the sound so it wasn't overpowering, but rather more sounded like the welcomed hush of a shower and the air around it was noticeably cooler, making them sigh with relief that they were given a chance to cool off.

“This will do nicely.” Takao said with a smile as he sat down on a moss covered boulder and started to undress.

He was so excited to get into the water, that the moment he removed the last piece of clothing, he was walking into the dancing water. It was cool against his skin and it felt so wonderful that its sharp chill didn't even phase him as he continued to trudge deeper. To his delight, the pool was deep enough to bring the lapping water up to his navel and with a wet slap of his wings, he dropped down onto his back and wet his hair.

His spirits were instantly lifted at feeling the weight literally being washed away as he ran his fingers through his hair and scrubbed his face. It was liberating, freeing and he instantly felt lighter as he righted himself to stand. He was nothing, but smiles as he wiped the water from his eyes and when he turned around, expecting to see Shintarō watching him from the bank, that smile died. He wasn't there.

“Shin-Chan?... Where'd you go?” He asked out loud, looking around with the hopes of spotting where the green haired tower had gone.

There was no sight of him, but as his heart started to thump with worry, the softest shimmer below the water's surface drew his attention. He watched the pale form with wide green swatches on either side as it rose to the surface, its lines clearing as the water arced over the nude body. The water bent around its skin until it broke, splashing down in heavy drops and streams, beading over the rippling expanse of muscle that made Takao's eyes go wide. That very skin was pimpled with gooseflesh from the coolness of the water and as his eyes traced up the tall form, they met unshielded emerald that took his breath away.

“H-Hi.” Takao stuttered out, biting the corner of his bottom lip as he lightly gulped at the feeling of his abdomen beginning to radiate with warmth.

Shintarō's lips stretched into a soft, yet knowing smile, “Hi.” His voice was low as he reached out a brushed his fingers back over Takao's blushing cheek.

Takao swore he could hear his heart hammering like a jackhammer, making his blood race at light speed. His eyes shook the more they traipsed over Shintarō's chiseled form until the water licked dangerously low against his hips and it made him hold his breath as the heat began to rise. He swallowed again before turning around, squeezing his eyes shut and sucking on his own lips, if at all to keep him from squeaking.

“S-Sorry, S-Shin-Chan.” Takao choked out, resting a hand over his heart to feel just how hard it was pumping.

All he heard was the sultry and ultra low laugh emanating from the boy's throat as the water sloshed around him, lapping at his own skin where he stayed perfectly still. His mind was jumbled, muddied with what to do, but the only thought that was constant, was the one that told him that he was safe; That this was different. He focused on that thought, but when large, warm hands fluttered over the skin of his sides, he flinched and sucked in a nervous breath.

“Why are you so scared?” Shintarō's voice asked softly into his ear, his head gently being nuzzled aside as the Razor-wing's lips began to nip at its shell.

Takao's eyes closed as his lips parted in a silent gasp, “A couple of reasons.” He said as those warm lips started a line down his throat.

“Such as?” Shintarō asked, running his tongue back up Takao's neck to the sensitive spot behind his ear while his hand came around to rest against Takao's stomach.

Takao trapped his bottom lip between his teeth, “I'm scared what'll happen if a woman really does come between us.” He admitted, his breath stuttering in and out as Shintarō softly nipped up and down his neck with just his lips.

“Then she better be ok with _actually_ being between us.” Shintarō said with a hint of amusement in his tone as he started to suckle the meat of Takao's shoulder.

He tried to stifle the soft moan, but Takao's throat vibrated anyways as he reached up to grip the nape of Shintarō's neck. His body was nearly overheating again and despite the cool water licking around his navel, he felt as if he was starting to sweat. Shintarō's lips were setting him on fire, making him unable to resist as he leaned his head back to rest against his shoulder with his fingers lacing into wet green hair. His heart was still pounding, but that didn't stop him from tilting his head up to claim those heated lips for his own.

The fire in his belly blew up in waves as their lips danced while Shintarō ran a hand up Takao's chest to cup his jaw. Just being pressed back against Shintarō's chest made him want more, made him want period, and it spurred him to run his tongue over his lips, easily coaxing them to part and accept him in greeting.

Their quickly warming kiss soon broke with the need for air, but Takao refused to move, staying perfectly still as he rested his forehead against Shintarō's temple. His fingers softly caressed the nape of Shintarō's neck as his half lidded eyes caught those emerald green ones while his large hand slowly trailing down his neck, over his shoulder and back down his chest.

“I want us... Shin-Chan.” Takao whispered out, nuzzling the tip of his nose along Shintarō's cheek.

That's all Shintarō needed to hear as he turned his head to claim Takao's neck, lolling the Hawk-wing's head over to give him more access with another gentle cupping of his jaw. This time, Takao's throat freely vibrated with a moan as he closed his eyes to relish in the feeling, but when he felt Shintarō's hand dancing down over his abdomen as if asking for permission, his lids slowly began to open again.

“Don't make me wait anymore, Shin-Chan... Please.” Takao said, his voice almost sounding as if it was begging as he pressed back into the brick wall behind him.

With just a hum against Takao's neck to serve as his reply, Shintarō's hand finally dove beneath the waterline, never once lifting from Takao's skin as his fingers crawled lower and lower. The heat that had been smoldering in his gut was white hot and when those long fingers found their target, it exploded into a fireball.

Takao's knees instantly went weak as Shintarō's hand wrapped around him, his breath panting as he gripped the nape of Shintarō's neck tighter just to stay on his feet. The sensation of having the Razor-wing's hand around him, slowly stroking him made his mind go blank. It was the most gentlest of touches, the tenderest even, and it was so, utterly, unquestionably new that Takao started to tremble while Shintarō's lips suckled the spot just behind his ear.

“Skies above, Shin-Chan-” Takao moaned out, his voice squeaking as his back arced, rolling his backside into Shintarō's naked hips.

Feeling Takao's bare rump against him forced a hiss of pleasure free, but he never broke stride with his slow, smooth strokes of the member in his hand. It was taking considerable effort to maintain the slow pace of it all, but hearing Takao moan and writhe with his growing pleasure was making it all worth it.

“How does it feel to be the one being pleasured?” Shintarō growled through his busy lips as his tongue took Takao's earlobe into his mouth.

“F-Fuck... I can't even... Nah... I can't even think.” Takao moaned out, his lips parted as he sucked in breath after breath, holding onto Shintarō's neck just to keep himself up.

“Good.” Shintarō said lowly before stopping his hand, much to Takao's protests.

“Oh, don't stop... Please.” Takao whined, rolling his hips back to press his rump against Shintarō's front even harder with the hope of spurring him on to continue.

Shintarō hissed once more at the sensation before gripping Takao's hips and spinning him around, pulling him tightly against him as he started to walk them towards the waterfall. He bent down to graze his teeth against Takao's neck with a bit more force as the Hawk-wing's legs separated and wrapped around his hips. It gave him the freedom to lay him down right in the waterfall that carved through the steep slope of the rock, having been warn down smooth, and the water careened over their bodies. He laid down over him as Takao's arms wrapped around his neck with their lips returning to their battle, and if it wasn't for the cool water, both would be overheating, but since it was helping to keep their skin cool, Takao felt every, delightful touch.

When Shintarō's hand grabbed ahold of him once more, Takao's eyes snapped open to see splotches of white as the boy over him licked the water from his skin, running his tongue along his collarbone in a single, unbroken stroke. His hand slowly worked him again and with the heat blistering, he couldn't keep his legs wrapped tightly around his hips, so instead, he let them loll open.

Takao couldn't speak as Shintarō's lips started kissing down his chest and licking between his far more defined muscles, lacing his fingers into the boy's green hair, but when he felt that delicious tongue dip into his navel, his back arced once more with rising pleasure that burned his soul.

“God, Shin-Chan! What're you doing?... Nah!... I can't... Oh my god-” Takao panted heavily, biting a knuckle to help keep himself quiet to the point where his moans of ecstasy didn't drift through the trees.

“Do you want me to stop?” Shintarō asked coyly, looking up through his long lashes as he licked his own lips to taste Takao's flavor still on them.

Takao shook his head, “N-No... Don't stop now. I'll kill you if you stop now.” He groaned with a smile, dropping his head into the falling water to cool it as he continued to pant for breath.

All Shintarō did was lowly laugh as he resumed his work, running his tongue along Takao's sex lines until he was walking a trail dangerously close to his arousal. He tried watching the dripping wet splash of green hair, still biting his own knuckle to try and stay calm, but when that very tongue that was leaving him a burning pile of ash grazed over the head of his member, the longest, deepest and most lustful moan mulled from his throat.

“Fuck!” Takao moaned out long, his breathing coming in and out of his lungs as if he just couldn't get enough.

However, when Shintarō just let his throat rumble with a sultry laugh, the vibrations hummed through his lips as they wrapped around his length. Takao nearly lost it and the only reason he didn't right then and there, was because he gripped Shintarō's hair in both trembling hands.

“Holy shit!... This is what it feels like?” Takao managed to say, planting his bare feet onto the smoothed stone to keep him from sliding as Shintarō's lips worked him.

Shintarō's tongue ran along the thick vein underneath as he pulled back, letting Takao's length pull free from his lips to be stroked in both his hands as his emerald green eyes flicked up to meet Takao's blurry one.

“Hopefully the rest of this will feel just as good.” Shintarō smiled up at him through long, luscious lashes before dipping his head to claim Takao for himself.

Takao couldn't breathe, couldn't speak the more Shintarō's mouth drew him in, sucking and licking and running his hands over his hips and chest to keep him from bucking which he very much wanted to do. His fingers threaded through his green hair just for something to hold onto as he tried to watch, the heat in his gut reaching heights so high that he felt like he was being warmed by the sun. Everything was tightening and every lick, every suck, every kiss was becoming more and more sensitive with each passing second. He was coming undone and when Shintarō bowed his head to nearly take all of him in, it was the last straw.

“Shin-Chan... Shin-Chan!... I'm... I'm... Pull back!... Shin-Chaaaaaah!” Takao moaned loudly as his hips involuntarily bucked up.

There was nothing he could do to stop himself from thrusting his length entirely into Shintarō's mouth, gagging him instantly as his entire body shuttered with pleasure. His member pulsed and twitched as it spilled over, forcing his seed down the Razor-wing's throat while he choked, but he couldn't stop, couldn't control himself as he rode out the waves of his orgasm; His first that he didn't have to suffer for.

Coughing as he pulled back, Shintarō wrapped a hand around his throat while he gagged, his stomach lurching from having his gag reflex tripped so forcefully. It only took his stomach a couple seconds to relax, which finally allowed him to taste the bitter tang in the back of his throat. Takao was bitter, but he couldn't blame him, as their diets hadn't been the greatest in recent time. He needed more fruits, which he was sure he did as well, and one in particular that would sweeten the taste for both of them.

“You need more pineapple.” Shintarō said, his voice slightly hoarse from the gagging, but still smiling as he rose to cover Takao and bring them face to face.

Takao could barely move, let alone talk as he nodded, wrapping his arms around his lover and lazily smiling back.

“I'm sorry... I couldn't help it. I didn't mean to gag you.” Takao panted, still riding his high of having an orgasm that he actually enjoyed.

“It's ok... I love you, Kazu.” Shintarō said softly, brushing Takao's soaked hair back so he could look into his hazy, lustful eyes.

Takao smiled, “I love you too, Shin-Chan... That was... That was out of this world.” He said, his breathing finally coming back under his control as he raised his legs to once again wrap them around Shintarō's hips.

“I'm glad.” Shintarō smiled before bowing his head to slowly kiss the man beneath him.

Takao was still radiating with heat, but despite his continued high, he could feel the harsh pulsing of Shintarō's aching arousal rubbing against his abdomen. Yes, he had seen it on occasion since being freed and always being by each others side, but it had always been flaccid. He was still a well endowed boy, well enough to be proud without being grotesque, but now that it was hard, Takao wanted to see it.

Lightly pushing against Shintarō's chest, he coaxed the larger man to rise just enough to look down, breathlessly gasping at what he saw. Hardened and twitching with want against his own member that was refusing to soften, was Shintarō's length that had doubled in size. It was impressive, more long than wide, but it still sported enough proportions to make Shintarō Midorima nothing, but male. The mere sight of it made Takao's gut churn with more desire and as he reached down and grasped the two members to stroke them together, Shintarō went rigid as he gasped with a soft mouth at being touched.

“Wanna know just how good a Stock can be?” Takao cooed, stretching his neck up to take Shintarō's earlobe between his teeth.

“I think... ah... I think I'm about to find out.” Shintarō rumbled out, dropping his weight down onto his elbows as he shuttered at the strokes and had to work considerably hard to keep enough space between them to allow Takao to work.

“You have no idea.” Takao growled playfully, slowly tightening his grip on their lengths with each, slow, sensual and long stroke.

When he had first met Kazunari Takao, his hands had been smooth, almost silky, but after his intense training and hard work, they had taken on a slight roughness that was just enough to cause a pleasurable amount of friction. He had done this hundreds of times with his own hand, but it had always left him wanting more, never truly satisfying his want, but with someone else's hand, he was quickly running out of blood to his brain.

“Kazu... Y-You don't have-” Shintarō tried, lacing his fingers through Takao's raven hair while he sucked and bit along his neck in return.

“This works both ways, Shin-Chan... So long as I'm yours and you're mine, neither will go unsatisfied.” Takao said lowly as he licked and suckled the spot behind Shintarō's ear that grew a thick layer of gooseflesh over his entire body.

Shintarō's muscles were starting to quiver as his hips rolled, pushing his length further into Takao's capable hands all the way to its base. His throat rattled with moans and desires, but when Takao's thumb flicked over the slit in the head of his member, it drew him all that much closer to falling over the edge.

“F-Fuck, Kazu... Make me cum... Please, make me go over the edge with you.” Shintarō begged with a deep, haughty voice, threading his arm behind Takao's shoulders as he clamped his teeth down on his collarbone.

Takao was getting so close again just by feeling Shintarō's arousal twitch against his own with each stroke, flick and gentle tug that he was losing his mind. The heat of their bodies was so mixed together that he didn't know where he ended and Shintarō began and he relished in the ultra sensitivity that lingered from his first orgasm. Every twitch tugged Takao closer and closer and when he dragged his thumb over the slit in Shintarō's member one last time, pressing against the spot just below it, both tumbled over the edge.

Just like Takao had done, Shintarō's throat ripped with a long, unbroken groan of pleasure as he pulsed, shooting spurt after spurt all over Takao's stomach to mix with his. It was smeared between them until the water from the small fall washed it away, leaving their skin cleaned, but still amazingly heated and with bodies still pressed together.

Releasing both of them, Takao ran his hands softly up Shintarō's sides until they wrapped around his shoulders to hold him close while he softly placed tender kisses to his neck to help calm him down. He was still quivering and breathing heavily, but Shintarō returned his embrace and nuzzled his head against his cheek.

“I have never felt so satisfied before... That was amazing, Kazu.” Shintarō said breathlessly as he rolled, pulling Takao on top of him and both out of the waterfall's path.

“Even though we didn't actually have sex in the true sense of the word?” Takao asked, fluttering his fingers down Shintarō's cheeks as one of his legs drifted up his body.

Shintarō nodded, “Yeah... That will come in time, but right now... That was perfect.” He grasped both sides of Takao's jaw and brought him down for a slow kiss that lasted several moments.

“I hope we have many more chances to be like this.” Takao said, softly smiling down at the boy that was now below him, still slowly kissing and relishing in the feel of his lips.

“We will. I promise.” Shintarō said as he smiled back, trailing his hand around to the back of Takao's neck.

Takao beamed wide as he returned to kissing this boy, this boy whom had saved him, this boy whom had finally showed him there was more to life than being used as a tool. This boy below him meant everything to him, and come the time when they all would resume their war, there wasn't a thing that Kazunari Takao wouldn't do to make sure that he and Shintarō Midorima made it back alive.

* * *

 

The night was barely lit by the dying moon that was fading in its cycle as the sky crept closer and closer to becoming black and freckled with stars. The bed of ash where their funeral pyre had been had been smoothed out to make a space for another much smaller fire to help provide light. It was this fire where the others were gathered around, relaxing and doing their own thing whether it be alone, or with others. The atmosphere was surprisingly calm with the exception of one whom sat by the tree he had punched to simply watch.

Teppei Kiyoshi sat alone, propped up against the three while everyone else milled about. He watched Riko help Taiga and Tetsuya make what meager supper they could manage with what they had while the others just talked and rested. It was a quiet night and when Shintarō and Takao had gotten up and walked off, he actually managed a smile before going back to watching Riko.

However, as much as he wanted to be near her, to hold her and embrace her, his mind couldn't be further away from that notion as those very eyes shifted over to the group of Humans. They were gathered in a messy circle, actually smiling and talking with several of the other boys. His smile vanished as he remembered what he had done, how he so blatantly attacked the Human with a catty mouth and his gut began to smolder with guilt.

Releasing a long sigh, Teppei pushed himself up and started walking towards the group, stuffing his hands into his pockets and with only the briefest of glances over to Riko whom just smiled back. It helped to ease his mind as he walked up and came under all of their gazes, but as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck, his mind was suddenly having issues putting his thoughts in front of his eyes.

“I um... I don't suppose I could have a minute could I?” Teppei asked, mildly gulping as the others just glanced at each other in mild confusion.

“With who?” Hyūga asked, his voice much more normal and his color having returned to his skin.

“I was hoping you.” Teppei said with another gulp.

Hyūga held his breath for a moment as he glanced at those around him, resting a second on each one before making the effort of getting to his feet. His side still thunked with ache, but with each passing hour, it ebbed further and further away. His stomach had even started to growl with hunger, but getting the help of his friends and those he was becoming friends with was still appreciated.

“Thanks guys.” Hyūga said as he brushed off his pants from clinging blades of grass.

“Want us to wait for ya?” Koganei asked with a quick glance at Ryōta sitting next to him.

“Naw... Don't worry about it. I fold anyways.” Hyūga said with a curt nod.

As the others returned to their card game, Hyūga held his side as he stepped away and followed Teppei as they started to walk towards the edge of the meadow, not really heading anywhere, but stuck in silence. Neither he, nor Teppei knew where to start, but when Teppei opened his mouth to try, Hyūga beat him to it.

“I know you hate us.” Hyūga said bluntly, releasing a long sigh as they slowly walked.

“I don't even know if that's true anymore.” Teppei said, stuffing his hands back into his pockets, still walking slow enough for Hyūga to keep up without struggling.

“If I can ask... What changed?” Hyūga asked, lowering his hand from his side to rest it against a tree as they entered the woods.

Teppei sighed, “I think that's probably obvious.” He briefly glanced at the much shorter Human.

“Aida.” Hyūga said with a nod.

“Which one?” Teppei asked with a huffed smirk.

Hyūga returned the gesture, “Riko.”

“Yeah.” Teppei near whispered.

“She's pretty amazing isn't she?” Hyūga asked, watching where he was planting his feet so not to trip, therefore missing the boiling glare that flashed across Teppei's face.

Instead of snapping however, Teppei drew in a deep breath and swallowed down his sudden rage before answering.

“Y-Yeah. She is.” Teppei cleared his throat.

Catching the hint of irritation, Hyūga glanced at the Titan and stopped walking to lean back against a tree trunk.

“Relax... I'm not gonna try. I know she's yours.” Hyūga said, crossing his arms.

Teppei started breathing again as he rubbed the back of his neck and leaned back against his own tree.

“So did her father before he died.” Teppei said, crossing his own arms that were far thicker than Hyūga's.

Hyūga's crooked smirk faded, “I heard... Look, we really tried to get the information to you before the Lieutenant acted, but our XO... old XO wanted our careers in exchange. Lieutenant Hanamiya planted those chickens so you guys would relax that last little bit.”

Teppei's lips parted, “What?... Where they laced with something?”

Hyūga shook his head, “No... Just chickens. He waited you guys out for weeks before acting and we were just too slow.”

Teppei sighed, “He fed us so we'd let our guard down.”

“Exactly... He knew exactly what he was going to do the moment he followed the blood trail left by Takao when he and Midorima fled.” Hyūga said as he started to chew on the inside of his bottom lip.

“He let them escape, didn't he.” Teppei said, his brows beginning to furrow at the thought that they had been played.

“Not really, no. The Lieutenant really did want Midorima milked to within an inch of his life, but he hadn't planned on letting him go until after that with a tracker dot embedded in his skin. He didn't count on him being able to escape with one of his favorite Stock, but he made the best of it.” Hyūga explained, managing to hold the Titan's gaze while be spoke.

“He didn't know what happens when a Razor-wing and a Hawk-wing are compatible?” Teppei asked, gripping his biceps just enough to make the muscles flex in his arms.

“Doubt it. The Lieutenant doesn't care enough to know. Plain and simple?... He got greedy.” Hyūga said, huffing another crooked smirk.

“Does he get paid, or something depending on how much he gets?” Teppei asked, drawing in a long breath to help keep his anger under control.

Hyūga nodded, “Yeah. He gets a commission for each batch. Takao holds the record for the highest gross at $7.6 million for one batch.”

Teppei's eyes shot wide, “$7.6 million? Are you kidding me?”

“I really wish I was. It made me sick every time I had to escort Stock to the harvest blocks because of the look in their eyes. It's part of why we started covering their heads.” Hyūga said, slowly shaking his head.

“So you didn't have to look at them.” Teppei scoffed.

Hyūga nodded as he looked away with shame in his eyes, “Yeah... It broke me. There were nights I cried when I was off shift because of what I was involved in.” He stared at the ground.

“What made you finally decide that what you were doing was wrong?” Teppei asked bluntly.

Hyūga just sighed as he rubbed his neck and rolled out his shoulders, still unable to look the Titan in the eye as he pursed his lips together. The memory plagued him to this day, had haunted him every night since and it was the one that had solidified his dedication to helping. There wasn't a cost he wasn't willing to pay to make up for the things he'd done.

“I always knew, but what drove it home was when I found the previous Stock #6 after he'd been killed. The Stud didn't even stop what he was doing after he did it. He just kept going and when I got there, he just... lost his mind and I was forced to-” Hyūga's voice fell off.

“You killed the Stud.” Teppei finished.

Hyūga nodded, “I had to,” he sighed, “I haven't slept well since.” This time, he looked up to meet the Titan's gaze.

“Not every man can kill.” Teppei said lowly, loosening his grip and patting his upper arm.

“Neither can you.” Hyūga said.

Teppei's sharp eyes set hard on the Human as his lips parted, every muscle freezing as if they were afraid to move. He had never thought about it, had always just played it off, but now that he thought back to all the times he had leveled a Human out, or had foiled a plan, he had yet to kill. He had laid down plenty of injuries, but he had never claimed a life.

“Yeah... I guess you're right.” Teppei said quietly as he racked a hand back over his hair.

“I know I am. The base needs to be shut down and the Angelika freed. What right do I have as a Human being to decide how others should live? I'm not God, nor do I want to be. I just wanna be a Human who can sleep at night.” Hyūga said as he released a long, slow sigh.

“And the others?” Teppei asked.

Hyūga huffed another smirk, “Seems I wasn't the only one who thought that way.”

Teppei sighed, “Look... I owe you guys an apology. You've really helped us out, a lot actually, and I've been resistant to it because I've been... harboring this hatred that I can't hold onto anymore... I'm sorry.” He said as he extended his hand towards the smaller Human.

“Hey, as far as I'm concerned, you saved my life. We're square, but you might wanna consider extending that hand to Koganei.” Hyūga said as he took the offered hand and gave it as firm a shake as he could.

Teppei cringed as he took back his hand, “Yeah... I'm not so sure 'sorry' is gonna cut it. I did try to strangle him.” He crossed his arms again.

“Hey, we've all gotta start somewhere. It's worth a try.” Hyūga said, managing to produce a smile as Teppei nodded.

“Thanks for talking with me. Riko kind of kicked my butt.” Teppei huffed a weak laugh as he stood up off the tree.

“So long as this was your decision, I'm fine with it.” Hyūga said from behind him.

“It is.” He said before turning to head back towards the meadow.

As they walked back, not a word was said, but with each step he took, Teppei was starting to feel as if they were becoming lighter. He felt the deep seeded hatred beginning to wither away, leaving a sense of freedom behind that he hadn't felt since being smuggled away from The Farm. As a child, he didn't know that hatred, but as he grew up, that seed that had been planted grew out of control. It wasn't until Riko removed his blindfold that he had finally seen it, and as they stepped back into the meadow, he rolled back his shoulders and walked right up to that very Human whom he towered over and steeled his resolve.

“You and I have to talk.” Teppei said, looming down over Koganei whose eyes had gone wide at just how big he was.

With a gulp, Koganei stood with the thought that it would help, but even standing at his full height was nothing compared to the Titan whom still looked down at him. He was genuinely huge with broad shoulders, terrifying muscles, giant wings and oddly enough, kind eyes.

After a tense moment that was really only a second, Teppei sighed, dropped those broad shoulders and hung his head.

“You have every right not to accept my apology, but I'm giving it to you anyways. I had no right to attack you like I did, especially in front of my friends and yours. I was completely in the wrong and if you decide to hate me from here on out, than I'll accept that because I earned it,” he sighed again, “Koganei... I'm sorry. From the bottom of my heart, I'm sorry.” Teppei finished as he held out his large hand towards the small Human.

Koganei's eyes went wide as he just stared, breath held and with a hand resting on his bruised neck. Teppei's hands had left a wide swath of black and blue behind and no one had needed to strain their eyes to see that the bruises were in the shape of handprints. Luckily, that's all that was there and given a few days time, they would heal and vanish. It could have been worse.

Pursing his lips together, Koganei grinned with his catty mouth, grabbed Teppei's hand and shook it.

“I've had worse, Big Guy. The punch to the jaw from that green haired kid lasted longer.” Koganei beamed wide up to his eyes as they shook hands.

“Wait... Midorimacchi punched you?” Ryōta asked, completely ignoring the fact that Daiki was looking at his cards.

“Oh yeah! I ran into them when they were escaping and to keep my cover, he nailed me right in the jaw! Hurt like hell!” Koganei laughed, releasing Teppei's hand as he gripped the back of his neck.

“You guys should have seen the bruise! Midorima laid him out hard! Knocked him right out!” Izuki started to laugh right along with everyone else.

“Nice job, Midorimacchi!” Ryōta yelped with pride before finally catching on that Daiki was peaking at his hand.

With everyone laughing and returning to their game, Teppei looked back over to where he had last seen Riko, meeting her gaze as she finished up helping Taiga and Tetsuya. She had the softest of smiles across her lips, having watched the whole thing and seeing that gentle, kind and warming smile, he finally felt that very feeling he had been missing all these years. He felt free.

“Oh, what the fuck! Who busted ass!” Daiki suddenly growled angrily as he cupped a hand over his nose.

“Huh? What're you talking about, Aominecchi? Kagamicchi is way over there.” Ryōta chuckled.

“Oi! I heard that!”

“No! Seriously! It reeks! It smells like a locker room, musk and hot sex-... Oh goddammit! I hate this damn nose!” Daiki roared as he fell back onto the grass and pressed both hands over his face.

Ryōta started to laugh even harder, “Are you smelling... them?” He snickered.

“I don't even know where they are and I can smell it! This is awful! I can taste it!” Daiki squeaked, but it was muffled by his hands over his nose and mouth.

“You're downwind.” Wakamatsu said through his laughter, trying to hide it in his shoulder to keep from getting glared at.

Daiki angrily growled as he rolled onto his side and stuffed his face into the grass, hoping with all hope that it would help mask the scent, but even that was laced with the aroma of sweat, musk and sex. With Teppei and Riko clearly not the culprits, it left only two that could possibly be assaulting his nose in such a manner, and they were no where to be seen.

“Stop it!” He howled before giving up and returning to their game.

* * *

 

The air had cooled off, their skin was chilled, but neither cared as they lay against the smoothed rocks, still too embraced in each other to give a damn. Their skin had pruned long ago, but for them, it simply didn't matter as their lips continued to explore each others bodies.

With Shintarō covering the boy beneath him as they sloppily kissed, their hands roamed and Takao's legs were trailing up and down his 6'5 lover simply to feel every inch against him, but when his ears picked up a long distance scream, his lips stilled.

“Is something wrong, Kazu?” Shintarō asked, parting their lips only far enough to stretch the string of saliva between them.

“Did you hear something?” Takao asked, his brows lightly furrowed as he glanced over at the bank where their clothes lay completely forgotten.

“Hear what?” Shintarō asked, tilting his head to run his lips down Takao's neck as his arms curled beneath Takao's shoulders to bring him closer.

Takao tried to listen, but his lover's lips were making it hard to keep from airily moaning. He ran his hands up and down Shintarō's back with lightly clawed fingers, but when his ears caught the sound again, he froze.

“That... It sounds like someone's yelling.” Takao said, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as Shintarō's teeth grazed over the hollow of his neck.

A soft breeze came through that covered their skin in gooseflesh, drowning out the yelling only momentarily before Shintarō's lips stopped their work. His brows instantly furrowed as their eyes met and two, simple words met their ears.

“Stop it!”

That's when both their eyes went wide, “Oh shit.”

* * *

 

_**Daiki: (Gulps) I need a cold shower.** _

_**Taiga: Me too.** _

_**Tetsuya: Together?** _

_**Daiki and Taiga: Shut up, Tetsu!... No!** _

_**Lycanwolff: Best. Episode. Ever.** _

_**Ryōta: That was gold, Lycanwolffcchi... Pure, utter, erotic gold.** _

_**Lycanwolff: Thank you, Ryōta. (Smiles)** _

_**Takao: (Wearing a robe) Hopefully that was ok. We took a couple liberties with the script.** _

_**Lycanwolff: No no! That was fine! That was better... By a lot.** _

_**Takao: Good!... They were Shin-Chan's ideas actually.** _

_**Lycanwolff: Really?** _

_**Shintarō: (Seven million shades of red and wearing a robe) Uh huh... I um... I figured that since... well... that since this is our job, then we might as well make it good. I have my pride to protect.** _

_**Lycanwolff: (Glomps Shintarō)** _

 


	18. Episode 18

**Episode 18**

 

**Author's Note: Just so things are clear, despite all the scene changes, all of this is occurring at the same time. I've connected it all, so I'd like to think it was obvious, but just in case.**

 

There was no more time.

The next night had soon approached and with each passing second, stomachs rolled with nerves and the plan was recited over and over. It was time to begin their assault and as they prepared by holstering weapons, whether they be guns, or knives, or something else, each was as ready as they could be.

Taiga helped strap the harness vest around Tetsuya before settling his heads up display over his left eye, clipping his throat mic around his neck and rolling his shoulders. He and Tetsuya were to be their eyes in the sky to ensure that the base had no tricks up their sleeves, but not so high that they couldn't get to the ground fast should they need to. Tetsuya's wings shimmered in their cerulean blue, becoming perfectly camouflaged against the darkness before shimmering back into sight. It didn't matter how many times Taiga saw it, it never ceased to amaze him that the shadow was so absolute.

With a final tug, Taiga buckled the final back strap, securing Tetsuya into the vest so that Taiga's wings could carry them up, but with each roll of his shoulders, the dull ache that had been plaguing him for hours seemed to get worse.

“How's that ache doing?” Tetsuya asked, adjusting the harness a bit so it sat more comfortably around his torso.

“I'm fine. I just slept wrong so I've got this knot back here.” Taiga grimaced as he reached behind his back to rub the base of his right wing.

Tetsuya finished adjust his vest before turning to face Taiga, but he turned him around to take a look for himself. He was wearing his usual form fitting muscle shirt that zipped up in the back, leaving the space surrounding his wings exposed and right in between them was a reddening spot the size of a softball. He lightly pressed against the spot to feel that it was hot, radiating with heat like a fire, but there was no knot that he could feel other than the bump of his spine.

“I don't feel anything. It's just red and really warm. Maybe it's a sunburn from yesterday?” Tetsuya said as he dropped his hands and let Taiga turn back around.

Taiga grimaced a bit more as he rolled his shoulders, “I don't know. Doesn't feel like it.” He let out a sigh as the ache thumped as if it had its own pulse.

“Want Wakamatsu-kun to look at it?” Tetsuya asked, clipping his throat mic around his neck and settling his earpiece.

“Naw... He's got enough to worry about. We aren't going too high up anyways, so I'll be fine.” Taiga said, running a hand back over his hair.

“Well, just don't let it get any worse. The last thing we need is to fall out of the sky because your wings cramped up.” Tetsuya said with a quick crack to his knuckles.

“Yeah yeah... I got it.” Taiga grumbled as he tugged his muscle shirt down until its hem rode just above the top of his pants.

With a few more adjustments to their vests, Taiga and Tetsuya returned to where the others were finishing their last minute preparations. Hair was pulled back and preferred weapons were set into place, and with the moon just cresting over the treetops, the small group was ready to take on a much bigger force.

“We cannot afford any mistakes. Does everyone know what they need to do?” Seijūrō asked, standing before them as they surrounded him completely; Humans and all.

He was given his answer as everyone nodded, but no one really spoke as they double checked to make sure they were ready. He didn't have to strain to see the apprehensive looks in all their eyes, as he was sure every single one was going over the plan in their head. Everything had to go perfectly, as one slip up, or the inability to quickly adapt could spell trouble, especially since they planned on letting The Farm burn.

“I know you're all scared. As am I, but we have to do this, or we are no better than them. I won't let a chance at a fresh start slip through our fingers. Not when so many others are depending on us. Only focus on what you need to, and if something comes up that requires our attention, we adapt. My brothers and I have done so since the days we were born and this is no different. We have survived this long, we all have, and come dawn, it will be a new day,” he looked at each one, scanning them as they looked on, “This is an order to all of you; We all come back, or none of us.” Seijūrō said, releasing a quiet sigh that no one else heard as he clasped his hands behind his back.

“Are you sure you won't stay here, Akashi?” Teppei asked, being the first to speak up amongst them.

“I will not stand back while those I love risk their lives. We all go and that includes me. If we are to broker a new era for ourselves, then the new Crimson Emperor should be on the front line to see it through.” Seijūrō said calmly as he held the Titan's gaze.

Teppei nodded, “You keep him safe, Murasakibara. We're all that's left. We can't suffer that loss.” He squeezed the small hand that was clutched in his.

“I'm a Murasakibara... Aka-Chin is safe with me.” Atsushi said, his hair pulled back into a ponytail as he stood a half step behind Seijūrō and towered over him.

“He better be.” Teppei said.

“You won't reconsider, Teppei?” Riko asked from his side, her fingers wrapped around his large hand as best they could.

“I have to. If I'm to clear my soul of this hatred I've held onto for too long, then I have to confront Hanamiya. I'm going with Midorima and Takao to the Stock house. That's where I'll find him.” Teppei said, looking down at her as he brushed a lock of hair from her face.

Riko nodded, “Alright.” Was all she said as she looked up into his sincere eyes.

Seijūrō drew in one last, steadying breath before unlatching his hands to let his arms hang at his sides. He glanced at the moon and it was slowly, almost delicately crawling across the sky and he knew it was time.

“There's no more time. We go now.” He said before spreading his bright red wings.

The atmosphere was heavy, weighed on their shoulders, but it wasn't enough to stop them from giving their wings the downbeats they needed to lift off the ground. The meadow was empty, as several had taken on a passenger. Hyūga had healed enough to go, but with his utter desire to help in any way he can, he was damned if he was going to be left behind. All the Humans wanted to help, and Seijūrō had allowed it.

The only sound that broke the night was that of powerful wings as they carried them all through the darkness. The silver light of the moon was nothing, but beautiful, glowing off the forest, the cliffs, the rivers. It was so serene and calm that even their worry had begun to fade, but when the far off lights of The Farm broke the shadows of the plains, that very same worry came back around.

 _“Stock Team breaking off.”_ Shintarō's voice said into all their ears as he began a gentle bank to the left, breaking away from the main group with Takao and Teppei on each flank.

 _“Fly true and safe, My Brother. Radio in if there's any problems.”_ Seijūrō's voice said as the trio gained distance from them.

 _“Roger that. The same goes for you, Akashi.”_ Shintarō said, letting his wings hang wide to smoothly glide.

The radios went silent as Shintarō, Takao and Teppei flew, slowly descending down to lower their altitude, but not so low as to risk alerting the base. Each beat of their wings was quiet and slow, the feathers rustling softly like one was rolling in the grass and it was entirely lost in the wind. There was no chance Human ears could hear them coming and with any luck, they wouldn't see them either.

 _“What's the best way to get into the Stock house?”_ Teppei asked, giving his large wings a firm downbeat before returning to his silent glide.

 _“Honestly? The balcony. It's on the backside of the house and faces away from the base.”_ Takao said from Shintarō's right, slightly below him so not to crowd his large green wings.

 _“Unguarded?”_ Shintarō asked, his slight confusion clear in his tone in both their ears.

 _“Yeah. It's the one place we could go to just get away.”_ Takao said, his eyes shimmering to their amber orange which lifted the darkness around them.

 _“That's where we'll land then. Takao... Take the lead.”_ Shintarō said, drifting his feathers apart just enough to slow him back into second place.

Takao beat his wings a few times to pull enough ahead to make it easier for the two larger ones to follow, gliding and angling down in a wide slope as he kept the base to his right. With his keen eyes, he could see very little movement on the ground, as all was quiet, but as he looked through the dark towards the back of the ultra modern Stock house, he saw that the balcony wasn't vacant.

 _“I knew he'd be there!”_ Takao yelped into their ears, but his voice wasn't angry, it almost sounded excited.

 _“Who? Someone's there?”_ Shintarō asked as he tried to follow Takao's line of sight as the three approached the base from the back.

_“Reo!”_

Angling downwards more, Takao picked up a bit of speed as they drew in closer to the ground and swept around until they were headed directly at the balcony on the back of the house. They only moved their wings enough to maintain their flight so they were as quiet as possible and when they got close, Takao frilled his feathers and slowed to a hover as all three touched down on the balcony without a sound.

As Shintarō tucked in his wings, looking around to make sure they were undetected, he started to smile when Takao wasted no time in wrapped the tall literal beauty up in a tight embrace. His lips slightly parted in a silent gasp as he studied the tall boy whom was only a few inches shorter, but he was eloquent, and more than beautiful. His legs were long and slender, smooth and wrapped in pale velvet that was his skin. His hair was a shiny raven black and his black wings that didn't move at all were tied to his long arms.

“Kazunari... We've missed you so much.” Reo said, holding the much smaller boy tight and placing his hand on the back of Takao's head as if he were his mother.

“Reo... You're ok.” Takao breathed out, pulling away from the embrace as he glanced over at Shintarō.

Reo followed his friends gaze to the incredibly tall Razor-wing with emerald green wings, “We are... Is this the green wing that you escaped with?”

Takao nodded, “It is. This is Shintarō Midorima and Teppei Kiyoshi.”

Reo gasped, “Midorima? The son of the Emerald King?”

Shintarō nodded, “I am.”

“He's not just the Emerald son... He's your partner, isn't he.” Reo said, taking his eyes off of the tall boy to look back at Takao with a spreading smile.

Takao nodded once more, “He is. Reo... Are the others here?” He asked, stepping away from Reo to look through the sliding glass door.

“Yes... There are no Studs needing milking tonight.” Reo said, heading over to the door with his loose robe fluttering around his form.

“Good. We're getting out of here. Hyūga got us the keycard.” Takao said, shooting Reo a quick glance before looking back through the door.

“I knew he would, but to unlatch our ankle bracelets, you have to access the controls in Hanamiya's office.” Reo said as he slid the door open and stepped inside.

The others quickly followed before Reo shut the door and closed the curtains, ensuring that no one from outside could see in. All was still quiet and now that they were all inside, it afforded Shintarō and Teppei a real look at what Takao had called home.

It was a lavish modern home, with white tile floors and mocha colored walls that had alcoves along them to house small pieces of art. The ceiling was lined with recessed soft white lighting that was mildly dimmed and the air had the slightest hint of warm vanilla. They were in a sort of living room with a pair of plush white couches and an assortment of potted plants, but on the other side was a hallway lined with five heavy doors.

“This place looks like a brothel.” Teppei growled a bit with a curl in his upper lip.

“In a way, it is. Studs are not the only thing that has experienced our services.” Reo said calmly as he extended a hand towards the hallway.

As Takao immediately started to walk, “Sometimes the guards were hoping for a good time, but they usually went to Reo.” H said as he fished around in his tactical vest to find the keycard.

“What? Is he serious?” Shintarō ask in disbelief as Takao swiped the card down the card reader on the first door.

Reo nodded, “How do you think we were able to acquire our balcony? I sacrificed so the others could have a better life... At least a semblance of one for a short time before the Humans retire me. I'm just about too old for them now.”

Shintarō opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted when the light of the reader flashed green. Takao didn't waste a second before bursting through the door, disappearing inside where Shintarō just stood and watched as he shook a young looking boy from his sleep. He didn't have to ask to see that this boy was covered in bruises and scratches, with a darkened cheek and a split lip. His gut immediately churned with disdain at the thought that Takao had most likely looked like that on more than one occasion, and it hurt him to know that he hadn't been there to prevent it.

“Kazu?... Kazu!” The boy yelped as he lunged up and took Takao into his arms.

“Ryō... There's no time. We're getting out of here. Get up and lets go.” Takao said, smiling at the injured boy as he ran his hands down his pale cheeks.

“Kazunari... How do you plan on getting us out of here? None here can fly and I cannot even glide.” Reo said, stepping into the room to help Ryō stand on his still shaky legs.

“We'll figure something out. Reo, take the card and get everyone to the balcony. We're going to that asshole's office.” Takao said, letting Reo take the bruised boy with large, apologetic eyes and soft brown hair.

“I will. Be safe, Kazunari... Hanamiya is there last I heard.” Reo said, wrapping a blanket around Ryō to help cover him, as he was only wearing a pair of plain black and red shorts.

Takao stood up straight as he glanced at Shintarō and Teppei, “We'll be alright. Come on, Shin-Chan. The office is this way.”

* * *

 

High above the base, hidden in shadow, the others hovered and watched. The other three had landed on the balcony and gone inside, and they had thought that the base would go up in arms, but all was still quiet. So far, things were going according to plan.

 _“Good... They were able to get inside without being noticed.”_ Seijūrō's voice said in all their ears as he hovered in the center of the cluster with Atsushi by his side.

 _“The building along the left side is where the General's office is.”_ Hyūga said, hanging from his harness that was keeping him aloft and held by Atsushi's firm hands.

 _“Atsushi, Tatsuya and you are with me. Everyone else, prepare yourselves and get our people out. Daiki and Ryōta are in charge. The moment the alarm is raised, be on your guard.”_ Seijūrō said, his voice firm and authoritative.

 _“Stable Team... Let's go.”_ Daiki said, slowing the beating of his wings to slowly begin to drop.

Those of Stable Team, being Wakamatsu, Kasamatsu, Daiki, Ryōta and Riko, all with a human in their grasp, began to drop, heading for the roof of the building on the far right of the base. As they dropped, the tiny forms of a few Humans grew larger as they milled about, going about their evenings seemingly without a care. It was quiet, but as each foot slowly fell away, the darkness broke to allow the darkened silhouettes of guards on the roof to appear.

 _“Guards on the roof. Four in total. We'll drop the Humans down, they take care of the rest.”_ Daiki's voice hissed quietly, slowing his descent even more until it was just a crawl.

The group was towards the rear of the building and behind the door to the roof that lead inside the building. They were out of the guards view when they released their passengers and landed without a sound, simply watching as Koganei, Izuki and the others pressed themselves back against the wall. No one spoke as Koganei peered around the corner, but it was Mitobe that lead them with several hand signals that really, only the Humans understood.

All Daiki and Ryōta could do was shrug as they watched, and when the Humans darted out from behind the structure, they all held their breaths.

Far quicker than any of them could expect, the Humans rushed for the guards and wrapped their arms around their necks, squeezing just enough to rob them of the ability to breath. Even Koganei, whom was smaller than all the others, had bested a guard and strangled him into unconsciousness, laying him down and beginning to rummage through his gear, just like they all did.

“Nice work. What're you looking for?” Daiki asked, his voice hushed as he, Ryōta and the others crouched and trotted up to them.

“Radio, keycards and entry codes. The base changes them routinely.” Koganei said, tugging open a Velcro flap on the unconscious guard's vest to pull out a keycard and flat glass screen.

“Shinji... Just grab the receiver. We aren't gonna be transmitting anything over their airways.” Izuki said, having plucked his guard clean by just removing the vest and putting it on before racking the stolen pistol.

Koganei glared for a second, but pulled out the headset of the radio and tossing it aside before stuffing the keycard and glass screen into his pocket. He pulled the guard's sidearm and checked how much ammunition it had, grabbing the three extra magazines and stuffing them into the cargo pockets of his pants.

“Why do you never just grab the vest?” Izuki asked, a brow arced high over its eye as he and Mitobe shared a shrug.

“This looks cooler.” Koganei said with a catty smile.

Daiki slapped his hand over his face, “You're ridiculous.”

“Hey... Let me have my moment.” Koganei said, staying crouched low as he headed for the roof door.

“Let him have his moment.” Izuki shrugged and followed.

Those with a set of wings just rolled their eyes and followed the Humans, stopping only long enough for Koganei to swipe the keycard down the reader to unlock the door before filing inside. The stairwell was dark and steep, but none missed a step as they hurried down with the Humans leading the group. Each had their stolen pistols in their hands and aimed at the floor, their backs to the wall and when they reached the bottom, Koganei swiped the card, punched in a four digit PIN and opened the door.

With no windows to see what was on the other side, it was a risk they had to take, and when the whole lot burst through into the brightly lit, stark white hallway, that risk made itself known.

“Hey! Who the hell are you?” Barked a guard from down the hall to their right, his grip on his rifle tightening to the point where it started to rattle from shaking.

No one answered, as they couldn't quickly enough before Daiki was blitzing down the hallway towards the guard, his wings tucked in tightly to his body, but his legs had launched him as if he was carried on wing. The guard's eyes were wide, frozen in place and before he could even react, Daiki had plowed his shoulder into his gut.

The air was knocked from his lungs as he hit the floor and with a swift snap of his fist to the guard's jaw, he was knocked out. Daiki was knelt over him and had moved so fast, so fluidly that Wakamatsu had started to grin as Daiki stood with the guard's rifle in hand.

“Nice work.” Wakamatsu said as Daiki slung an arm through the tactical sling of the rifle and walked back.

“Thanks. Shouldn't there be more guards?” Daiki asked, checking the rifle for rounds and making sure it was ready to go.

“Night shift. All the Angelika are locked up so there isn't a need for as many guards.” Izuki said, motioning with a wave of his arm for everyone to follow him down the hall in the opposite direction.

Daiki and Ryōta just shared a glance before following, running down the hallway to keep up with their quick pace. There wasn't a single window to pass, or any way for them to look outside, making the hallway seem to close in around them as they turned the corner and kept going, but it was actually a blessing. It helped to keep their presence unknown and bought them some more time.

They followed Izuki to the end of the hallway to another door where he pulled out his own keycard and swiped it down the reader that served as the door's handle. The moment the light turned green, he threw it open and headed through, quickly descending the stairs that turned back on themselves before reaching the next door that was stenciled with a large black number three. He swiped the same keycard once more and threw open the door, but whether it be luck, or misfortune, he slammed the door _into_ the guard.

The guard stumbled back into the wall with a grunt as he dropped his rifle, but before he could even regain his bearings, Izuki's fist plowed into his cheek with a crack, snapping his head to the side. The others winced at the sound as the guard slumped down onto the floor and when Izuki knelt and pulled a large key ring that was heavy with actual keys from the guard's belt, their brows furrowed.

“Here... Start unlocking cells.” Izuki said, tossing the large key ring up into Daiki's hands.

“Actual keys?” Daiki's brows furrowed as he looked at them, seeing that each was marked with a 3 and a corresponding letter.

“More secure than electronic locks and if the power ever went out, the cells won't unlock automatically... Now go!” Izuki barked.

Daiki pursed his lips together before motioning with his head for Ryōta and the others to follow, hurrying down the hallway to the first door that had a large blue plague on it that was marked with 3-Z. Daiki rifled through the keys until he found the one marked with the same and shoved it into the lock, giving it a hard turn until a heavy bolt slid open and the door unlocked.

However, when he threw it open, he froze in the doorway, they all did at what cowered inside the entirely white room with a padded bench that served as a bed.

A young girl with brown hair and eyes with rather small wings of the same color cowered in the corner, cradling her modest pregnant belly with her arm to protect her unborn child. Her eyes were scared, terrified even, but when she saw their wings, she seemed to come back into her own mind.

“Y-You're Angelika?” The girl asked, her voice quiet and shaky as she stayed huddled into the corner of the room.

Daiki nodded, “Y-Yeah. My name's Daiki. What's yours?” He asked, slowly kneeling down so she wasn't craning her head up to look at him.

The girl nervously bit her lip, but she kept looking at him, “Um... 3-Z.” She said in her quiet, shaky voice.

Daiki's brows furrowed as he glanced up at Ryōta, “3-Z?... I mean your real name.”

The girl continued to shake, “L-Lucy... That's what the den mother called me; The woman who raises the children.”

Daiki was about to speak, but Riko stepped passed him, earning his gaze as she knelt down a step closer to the cowering girl. She was so young, not being any older than them, but the showing belly made their stomachs churn.

“Lucy... My name's Riko. How old are you?” Riko asked softly, her eyes kind to help ease the girl.

“S-Sixteen.” She said, biting her lip as she watched both Riko and Daiki closely.

“How far along are you?” Riko asked.

“Five months.” Lucy said.

“Can you fly?” Daiki asked, earning the girl's gaze.

Surprisingly, Lucy nodded, “Y-Yes.”

“They let you fly?” Ryōta softly gasped as the girl shifted her gaze towards him.

“Um... I-It helps keeps us in shape... The mares... Keeps us healthy. We can't go more than three miles away though, or the collar blows.” The girl said, her voice sounding as if it was calming down.

Daiki's brows furrowed hard as he glared at the collar around the girl's neck, the flashing red light indicating that it was armed and ready. Despite there not being a cage, it was a digital one that ensured that none could escape. If they tried, they lost their heads and he knew without a shadow of a doubt, that it only took one accident to make sure that none would try.

“Three miles is our limit then. We'll take them two miles out before we can try and get those collars off.” Daiki said as he stood, offering the girl his hand.

“W-What?... What's going on?” The girl asked, her eyes bouncing between Daiki's stern gaze to his offered hand.

“We're getting out of here.” Daiki said plainly.

The girl's breath caught for a moment in her throat as she just stared at him, still cradling her belly and huddling back into the corner. Her shaking had slowed and her breathing had evened out, but instead of rushing her, Daiki just stood there, still with his offered hand. He wouldn't rush her, as that wouldn't accomplish anything at all, but they did need to hurry.

“First step of the rest of your life, Lucy.” Daiki said, drawing a long, unbroken breath as he managed to produce a crooked grin.

Biting her lip, Lucy clenched her fist a few times before reaching out and taking his hand where he helped her up. With her pregnant belly, it made moving around a bit tricky, but once on her feet, he let go and let Riko take her.

“Kasamatsu... Take her to the roof and take her no more than two miles out and wait. Riko and Wakamatsu will run them out to you.” Daiki said, fishing a GPS out from a pocket in his vest and slapping it down into Kasamatsu's hand.

Riko handed the girl off to Kasamatsu, whom led her from the room and back the way they had come with one of the Humans leading the way so they didn't get lost. Daiki took the next key and went to the next room, finding another young girl whom was seventeen and nearly seven months pregnant. She too cowered, but with Riko and their patience, she too was taken from the cell.

Each room housed a single girl, some of which were pregnant to varying degrees. The larger ones were given a look over by Wakamatsu before being taken to the roof, and after a short time that was laden with tension as they all hurried, the whole floor had been cleared.

 _“I've got 25 here.”_ Reported Kasamatsu's voice as Daiki handed off the last girl to Riko.

“Got it. The last girl from this floor is headed your way.” Daiki said, raising a hand to his ear as he spoke.

 _“Roger that. Bring one of the Humans out here so we can start working on getting these collars off.”_ Kasamatsu's voice said.

“Mitobe! Go with Riko!” Daiki called down the hall.

Mitobe just nodded as he followed Riko and the last girl, leaving the rest to continue. They followed Izuki to the next door and rushed down the stairs to the second floor, where the guard was quickly knocked out when Ryōta had taken on a sultry feminine voice that lured the guard around the corner. It had been his undoing when Ryōta had punched the butt of his twin collapsible batons into his nose, causing it to bleed in an instant as he fell, unconscious to the floor.

With the second level keys in hand, they systematically worked, taking girl after girl to the roof where they were escorted to where Kasamatsu waited with the rest. Most were their age, but some were older and it was them that took a bit more time to convince to leave. They were scared, far more resistant to trust, but with patience, they too stepped from their cells.

Having finally reached the first floor, Daiki leveled the guard out with a choke-hold before taking the needed key ring and handing it to Ryōta to start opening the cells. More girls, many of whom were pregnant, were set free and taken to the roof, but Daiki couldn't shake the nagging thought in the back of his head as to why the alarm had yet to sound.

“Izuki!... Why hasn't the alarm gone off yet?” Daiki asked, handing another girl off to Riko whom was quick to agree to go with them.

Izuki shrugged, “I don't know. Take it while you can-”

It was in that moment, that precise, quiet moment when the night was shattered with the wailing cry of the base alarms. They all went ridged at the sound that blared, startling them so much that the girl Riko was leading towards the roof nearly dropped to the floor. She was quickly calmed with an embrace from Riko before they continued, but with the alarms screaming into the night, they all knew they had to work fast.

“Pick up the pace!” Daiki howled as he ripped open the next door.

* * *

 

The first floor of the Stock house was a wide expanse of living room and kitchen, surrounded by nothing, but windows that were heavily tinted so only those inside could look out. There was genuinely no front door, making the glass enclosure of the elevator the only way in and out for those on the ground. A small crew of four guards milled about, some making coffee while others just sat and watched TV. They seemed at ease and were completely unaware of the three watching from the staircase.

“How do you wanna take them out?” Shintarō asked so softly that his words nearly didn't come out of his mouth.

“Fists work.” Teppei said just as quietly, shuffling his wings back flat against his back so they didn't rise too high and risk them being spotted.

“We need a distraction. If we just attack, they could trip the alarm... It's that panel on the wall there.” Takao said with a short point towards the wall on the far side of the kitchen.

Shintarō pursed his lips together as he thought, racking his brain for anything that could possibly work to draw their attention. They couldn't risk having the alarm tripped, but when a fourth joined them, a flicker of hope sparked in his chest.

“A distraction I can do, Kazunari.” Reo said in a quiet voice, resting a hand down on Takao's shoulder as he handed him back the keycard.

“We can't risk it. What if they hurt you?” Shintarō whispered, finding his eyes had narrowed at the touch to his lover that wasn't _his_ hand.

Reo took his hand back before he risked angering the Razor-wing, “I am no helpless dame, Dear Shintarō. I'm sure Kazunari has told you how I ended up here.”

Shintarō just nodded as he slowly exhaled.

“Then allow me to show you, that even with wings unmoving, a Razor-wing is still just as deadly.” Reo said smoothly as he stood and adjusted his loose robe to show his chest all the down to his navel.

All the three could do was watch as Reo rested a delicate hand on the banister and walked down the stairs, his hips swaying with each step he took. The wings tied to his arms gave him the appearance of an Egyptian goddess and from behind, neither could really tell the difference. He descended the stairs so gracefully that when he stepped down onto the heated floor and the guards looked his way, the three saw them visibly sit up straighter.

“Good evening, Gentlemen.” Reo said in a soft voice, his lips slightly parted as he looked at them through his insanely long eyelashes.

The guard in the kitchen cleared his throat, “W-Want some coffee?” He almost sounded nervous.

“Mmm... Make it an espresso and we'll talk.” Reo said, softly smiling at that very guard as he walked towards the kitchen under all their gazes.

The three remaining guards gulped as they watched Reo's legs, how they danced out through the slit in his robe with each step to show all the up to mid inner thigh. The way he walked with soft steps made his legs seem almost longer, even more shapely and it took a considerable amount of effort not to laugh at how they all never took their eyes off of him.

“Y-Yeah sure... Espresso it is.” The guard in the kitchen said with another clearing of his throat before going to a cupboard.

“Thank you... The evening just feels as if it requires one. It's not often we get the night off.” Reo said, softly flipping his hair behind his neck to reveal the long expanse of pale flesh.

“You the only one up?” Another guard asked; The one sitting on the couch in the living room.

“Yes... The others wish to sleep and I can't blame them. Me however,” he drew in a hissing breath, “I have some pent up energy.” Reo's half lidded eyes shifted over to gaze at that guard, making him gulp and shift awkwardly.

“Pent up energy? Like wha-” The guard in the kitchen tried, but his lips where silenced.

His eyes were wide when Reo's warm, soft and plump lips claimed his mouth, but after several moments, those very same eyes closed as he started to melt. He was completely at the mercy of Reo's prowess as his lips danced in perfect motion, tongues sliding along each other to produce the wet sounds of their saliva mixing. It was the kind hot kiss that drew the guards attention to such a degree, that they didn't notice the other three that crept down the stairs.

“Hot shit... You aching for a good time 6?” Another guard asked, grinning at the sight in front of him as Reo's hand gripped the back of the kitchen guard's neck.

“Sure. What are you offering?”

At the sudden sound, the guards whipped around, but no one had a chance to even yelp before three separate fists plowed into their faces and dropped them to the floor. They laid in motionless heaps, but for the guard in the kitchen, he was far too distracted to even notice.

After another moment, Reo broke the sultry kiss and looked into the guard's eyes with his own, half lidded and crowned with dark lashes that flowed with each slow blink. He smiled as the guard's hands gripped his hips, but Reo turned to press his silk covered rump into the edge of the counter where the guard hoisted him up to sit on it. That was his mistake.

With a sultry and airy moan, Reo ran his hands up the guard's chest, delicately wrapping his fingers around his throat that made him groan with rising pleasure, but that was too quickly ripped away when Reo's long legs snapped around his trunk and began to squeeze.

“Wrong kind of energy.” Reo hissed with gritted teeth, his hands choking the guard as his thighs squeezed him so tightly that the other three heard the cracking of bones.

“Reo.” Shintarō said, wincing as more and more crackles emanated from the guard's chest as he gargled and tried to breath.

However, Reo didn't answer as he moaned, lips parted as if he was racked with pleasure and his head dropped back and his eyes closed. He squeezed tighter, listening to the chokes until that single breath left the guard's lungs that was far weaker than the rest. That was when he released his hold and let the guard drop into a pile on the floor.

“D-Did you kill him?” Shintarō asked, his eyes set firmly on the beautiful boy as he slid off the counter.

Reo smiled, “No... The sound of their breath changes just shy of death. If you release them in that moment, they'll live, but it'll be awhile before this one wakes up.” He said, licking his lips clean as he readjusted his robes to ensure that his hips were at least covered.

“Which one's Hanamiya's office?” Teppei asked, shooting Shintarō a glance and a single nod to tell him that it was alright.

“The one at the end of that hallway.” Reo said, pointing towards that very hallway that ran a course down the wall of dark windows at the front of the house.

“Thanks.” Teppei said simply before turning, only to stop when his name was called.

“Kiyoshi... Be careful.” Shintarō said, taking the keycard from Takao as he started for the elevator.

Teppei nodded, “I will. Go blow this place.”

As Shintarō and Takao headed for the elevator, having been called by the keycard in Shintarō's hand, the Titan rushed for the hallway and quickly headed down, his wings tucked in tight to make them as inconspicuous as possible. They still dragged, but they didn't arc high as he reached the double wide door at the end hallway.

The doors were locked with a simple keypad, but without knowing the code, he only had one choice. He clenched a tight fist and racked it into the keypad, smashing it and producing a small spray of sparks. The doors unlocked and with a firm shoulder, Teppei burst through, only to freeze as he came under the gaze of the very man that could make his blood run cold with a single look.

“And what do I owe the pleasure?” Hanamiya asked, standing behind his desk, wearing fatigues and holding a baton that buzzed with electricity.

“Payback... Or retribution. You can take your pick.” Teppei said, his voice growling low in his throat as he met the smaller man's cold stare.

“Payback is so much more fun. You look angry.” Hanamiya laughed, grinning crookedly as he rhythmically tapped the uncharged portion of the electric baton against his shoulder.

“I'm only angry about how long this has gone on for... It's over.” Teppei said, his arms flexing to bulge with muscle as he clenched his fists at his sides.

“It's hardly over. We're just getting started.” Hanamiya said, still smiling, still laughing.

“How do you figure?” Teppei asked, drawing in smooth breaths to keep himself from seeing red.

“Oh, how the fly always gets caught in the spider's web. Guess which one of us is the fly.” Hanamiya near cooed with pleasure.

Teppei's brows furrowed and every muscle in his body tensed as he stared down the man in front of him. He wasn't phased at all that they had broken in, his eyes told him that, but the fact that he was still cackling lowly and smiling with evil intent, told him even more.

They'd been tricked.

“Let's makes this more interesting.” Hanamiya sang before smashing his palm down on a glass panel on his desk.

Teppei's eyes went wide when in that moment, the night was broken with the screaming wail of the alarms.

* * *

 

_**Seijūrō: I greatly enjoy the fact that my part is a bit later. I'm enjoying watching the show. (Eats popcorn)** _

_**Tetsuya: (Munches from bowl) Isn't it great? I can't wait to see what happens with Kiyoshi-kun and Hanamiya-kun.** _

_**Makoto: Don't call me that! (Growls)** _

_**Teppei: He adds 'kun' to everyone's name. Relax.** _

_**Makoto: Die! Why does Boss Lady never approve my script changes!?** _

_**Lycanwolff: He's not dying! Stop trying to kill my actors!  
Makoto: Please?** _

_**Lycanwolff: No!... Did you just say please?** _

_**Shintarō: He just said please.** _

_**Taiga: Huh... Did Hell freeze over?** _

_**Daiki: Is it cold in here?** _

_**Ryōta: It's the end times... I'm sure of it.** _

_**Atsushi: (Just blinks)** _

_**Tetsuya: See you next episode!** _

 


	19. Episode 19

**Episode 19**

 

The base was in chaos. The alarm screamed into the night as personnel scurried to their stations and opened the large hanger doors to make way for the four giant, twin bladed choppers that were being tugged out by small tug vehicles. They were huge personnel carriers, painted matte black and the only thing that set them apart from the black sky above, were the red and green marker lights.

 _“Base is lit up! The choppers are coming out!”_ Said Taiga's voice in Daiki's ear.

“Shit! If those get off the ground, we lose our window for getting the women out!” Daiki growled, hurrying the young girl whom he had just freed along to follow Wakamatsu.

 _“Yeah... Let me swoop right in there and knock them over.”_ Taiga's voice deadpanned.

“Baka! Figure something out! We're almost done here!” Daiki said with only a few more cells to open as Ryōta finished unlocking the last door and yanked it open.

 _“Aomine-kun. We can't do anything. We have maybe... five minutes before they're up in the air.”_ Tetsuya's voice said.

“Fuck!... Kasamatsu! Get those women somewhere safe!” Daiki barked into his comms.

 _“We can't! We've only got a few collars off! We need more time!”_ Kasamatsu's voice barked right back.

“Shit... I've got an idea. Ryōta... Keep things going here. I'm heading up top.” Daiki said as he started to run down the hall.

 _“What! No you don't, Ahomine! I know what you're wanting to do!”_ Wakamatsu howled almost too loudly in his ear, making him wince.

“Then meet me up top!”

* * *

 

Inside the building along the left side of the base, the alarm was far quieter, muffled by the thick concrete walls. Seijūrō was not surprised. He trusted those outside, trusted that they could adapt, so as such, he purely focused on the task at hand.

He, Atsushi, Himuro and Hyūga made their way through the building, following the Human with the goal of arriving at the General's office. Guards were swarming, their weapons barking rapidly with live rounds and tranq darts, but all only found the impenetrable metal wings of the purple haired Titan. They were arced around to shield his front with the other three following behind, putting Seijūrō right in the middle and completely guarded from all harm.

With their front perfectly guarded with Atsushi's wings as they walked, Himuro and Hyūga covered their rear, firing their pistols down the hall to keep the guards pinned behind cover. Without a second Titan, it was up to them, and with their ammunition getting closer and closer to being depleted, they needed to come up with a plan.

“I've got one clip left!” Himuro barked, firing a few shots that caused a pair of guards to duck into an office.

“Fifteen rounds! We're gonna be open back here!” Hyūga snapped, gritting his teeth with a squeeze of the trigger.

“Atsushi... Halt here.” Seijūrō said calmly and smoothly, his hands clasped behind his back.

The giant stopped and stood, but kept his wings arced in front of him to keep them safe from the barrage coming at them. The muscles in his back were tense from keeping his wings out in front of him, but no matter how much was flying at them, he never faltered. He truly was the son of the Titan King.

Releasing a light sigh, Seijūrō put his back to the Titan, facing behind them as a dozen guards sprinted down the hall towards them, all with weapons and extra magazines. He had hoped to keep from using his ability, but now seemed like a very good time.

Drawing in a deep breath, he closed his eyes for a moment before opening them, revealing one crimson and the other amber as Himuro and Hyūga knelt in front of him with their weapons aimed at the group.

“Stop where you are!” Seijūrō said loudly, looking the charging group of guards dead in their eyes.

At the sound of his sharp voice, they all skidded to a halt as if someone had just flipped a switch.

“Good... Lower your weapons.” He said, clasping his hands behind his back as he continued to stare.

Without a single protest, the group of guards did just that, lowering their rifles to let them hang at their sides. They were close enough to see that their eyes were dull, blank and void of thought. They simply followed the given orders without so much as a thought as to why they were following his word.

“You two in the front... Slide your weapons towards us.” Seijūrō said simply, pointing at the two he was addressing with the fingers of one hand.

Again and without a word, those two removed their rifles and skittered them across the floor with their feet where they stopped in front of Himuro and Hyūga. However, they didn't move as they kept an eye on the group while the Crimson Emperor continued.

“Extra ammunition and sidearms as well.” Seijūrō ordered.

A mass of extra magazines and two pistols soon followed where they too, stopped in front of the Human and the Raven-wing.

“Now... Lock yourselves in the nearest office and don't come out. Your job is done.” Seijūrō said coldly, his amber eye flickering with light.

Still with their dull eyes, the guards turned and filed into the nearest office, behind them a few doors back, where they shut it firm and the soft click of the lock fluttered up to meet their ears.

Closing his eyes once more, Seijūrō sighed before opening them once again, now with two crimson eyes as Himuro and Hyūga gathered up the new weapons and ammunition, now far better armed and with plenty of ammunition to continue fending off whatever guards continued to try to come at them.

“Perfect... Junpei, how much further until the General's office?” Seijūrō asked, turning around and rapping a finger against Atsushi's back that commanded him to continue on.

“End of the hall, turn left. There's an elevator at the end that will take us up.” Hyūga said, walking backwards and shoulder to shoulder with Himuro with their new rifles raised.

“Follow his instructions, Atsushi. We should be there shortly.” Seijūrō said as he resumed his walk.

Atsushi just nodded as he pushed on, deflecting the rounds and darts and shoving guards through doors and walls. Atsushi's strength was infallible, terrifying even as they pushed forward, but a sudden flashing red light alerted them that something else was coming.

With a heavy clunk, a giant compartment door dropped from the ceiling both in front and behind them, trapping them between them with nowhere to go, but instead of being trapped, they were just slowed.

Drawing in a huge breath, Atsushi maneuvered his giant wings in the small space of the hallway, putting the tips of his metal coated primaries against the metal barrier. His muscles flexed hard as he poured his strength into his wings, pressing them into the door until the metal feathers began to dig into the barrier. Sparks and grinding filled their ears until Atsushi stopped, his wings halfway through the barrier, and when he whipped his wings back hard, sailing them over the others heads, his giant wings pulled free.

They were showered in sparks, covering their heads, but when the high pitched metal scream returned that was shortly followed by the heavy pound of a falling door, they looked up to see that Atsushi had carved a square out of the barrier.

“Child's play.” Atsushi said dully as he stepped over the square metal chunk laying on the floor.

They continued on, making quick work of more guards until they finally arrived at the elevator door where Hyūga punched in the call code into the keypad.

As soon as he hit the pound key, the elevator doors opened and they stepped through, but when the doors closed, they saw that there wasn't the usual floor buttons, but rather a card reader and neither had a card.

“Shit... We don't have a card.” Hyūga growled, racking a hand back over his hair.

“No matter. We just go up. Tatsuya... If you could lift him.” Seijūrō said calmly and with a gentle smile across his lips.

With just a nod, Himuro holstered his pistols and hooked his arms beneath Hyūga's as Atsushi arced his wings up and jumped, pushing his entire body through the elevator's ceiling and making the hole large enough for them all to fly up through it. It was incredibly tight quarters with the wires and close confines, but with a few bounds, the four reached the only other door available at the top of the shaft.

His wings in front of him, Atsushi pushed off the opposite wall with all his power, thrusting his wings into the lightweight metal doors and bursting them open, arriving in a huge office with an entire wall of windows behind a large black desk. There wasn't much in the way of decoration in the giant office, but it would have gone missed by them anyways as they walked in under the cold gaze of the man sitting behind it.

“I figured I would meet you some day.” General Harasawa said calmly as he planted his hands on his desk and rose to his full height of 6'2.

“The infamous General Katsunori Harasawa. Otherwise known as the Butcher of Pacific Sky... Tis a pleasure.” Seijūrō said, stepping in front of Atsushi and still with his hands clasped behind his back.

“I wasn't a General at the time.” He said simply, rolling his shoulders back as he too, clasped his hands behind his back.

“Whatever you were, matters not to me. I assume you know who I am?” Seijūrō asked calmly.

The General nodded, “I know your bloodline. Last I saw wings that color was at the Battle of Pacific Sky.” He drew in a long breath.

“Then you have faced my father.” Seijūrō said.

“I have... I suppose you and I have a lot to talk about.” The General said with a slow nod.

“You're right. We do.”

“Then talk.”

* * *

 

His wings were aching. Every flap to keep him and Tetsuya aloft only resulted in more ache and more tightness that seemed to be building from the spot right between his two toned crimson wings. He didn't mind carrying the lithe weight of his partner, but he was needing a break before his wings simply quit on him.

 _“Tetsu... You've gotta fly on your own for a bit. My wings are aching bad.”_ Taiga said, lightly gritting his teeth together as he stretched his wings wide for a much needed glide.

 _“We'll lose our camouflage.”_ Tetsuya said, looking up at Taiga's face to see the light beading of sweat along his forehead.

 _“That's fine. I don't think anyone's looking up anyways. I just need to dump some weight.”_ Taiga said with a firm downbeat of his wings that made the ache thumb more.

Tetsuya just nodded as his wings spread wide, instantly taking the weight from Taiga's hold as he flew on his own. They shimmered back to cerulean blue and with the weight gone, Taiga found that the ache was still just as strong and just as persistent.

 _“Well, that didn't help at all.”_ Taiga grumbled, softly hissing with each downbeat.

 _“Is it real bad?”_ Tetsuya asked, flying in a big, lazy circle high over the base.

 _“It's definitely worse.”_ Taiga said as he pushed through it to continue to fly and watch the base below.

As he looked down, the choppers were beginning to start up, the massive router blades starting to slowly spin and he knew that they didn't have much time. He knew that if those choppers got off the ground and were allowed to roam the skies, than those they had managed to set free thus far would soon be found and all their efforts would have been for naught.

He had been so engrossed in battling through the ache, that when Wakamatsu's angry voice barked into his ear, it startled him right out of his head.

_“What! No you don't, Ahomine! I know what you're wanting to do!”_

Taiga winced at how loud it was, but he continued to listen in.

 _“Then meet me up top!”_ It was Daiki's voice.

“What's going on guys?” Taiga asked, pressing the earpiece a bit to hear better.

 _“Get your ass down here! I need your help!”_ Daiki's voice barked.

“What? Why?” Taiga asked with a furrow along his brow.

_“Don't ask stupid questions! Get your ass down here, Bakagami!”_

_“I've got eyes up here just fine, Kagami-kun... Go.”_ Tetsuya said simply from up ahead.

With a growl, Taiga glided and banked down towards the rooftop where Daiki and his group had landed, his wings thumping more and more with ache that radiated throughout his entire back. He would get to rest later, but for right now, he needed to focus and push passed it.

As he came into the rooftop, Daiki and Wakamatsu were already there, arguing like they always did. He beat his wings hard and bit back the ache as he touched down and tucked in his wings for merciful relief that nearly made him groan out loud.

“Are you crazy! You can't do that! You haven't had enough practice yet!” Wakamatsu yelled, thrusting a finger into Daiki's chest.

“We don't have a choice! If those choppers get airborne, we're screwed! I can take them out and we won't have to worry about it anymore!” Daiki fired right back, firmly planting his hands on his hips.

“What's going on? Why'd you need me here?” Taiga asked as he walked up, resting a hand on the small of his back to lightly massage the spreading ache.

“You need to take me up, Kagami.” Daiki said with a stern gaze that caught Taiga off guard.

“What? Why?” Taiga yelped.

“No! Absolutely not! You can't Boom them!” Wakamatsu's voice cracked.

“And why not? I'll dive and it'll give me plenty of room!” Daiki snapped at him.

“Do you have any idea what'll happen if you don't do it right? It'll tear your fucking wings off! You can't do it with that short of a runway!” Wakamatsu howled.

“I have to!” Daiki spat.

“Ok! Hold the fucking phone!” Taiga interrupted, making a T symbol with his hands.

“Don't ask anymore questions, Kagami. Take me up to 20,000 and drop me.” Daiki said firmly.

“No! You can't do it with that short of sky! You need more! Will you fucking listen to me just this once!” Wakamatsu barked, his eyes betraying that he was near the point of begging.

Daiki pursed his lips together as he dropped his chin to his chest, slowly shaking his head as he focused on breathing. The near desperate sound in the Aurora-wing's voice was irritating, grating against his resolve and he couldn't bring himself to look at the fear in his eyes. The man was pleading for him to listen and with everything on the line, they couldn't afford to have it all go wrong now.

“Fine... What do you suggest?” Daiki asked, huffing out of his nose to release his irritation.

Wakamatsu sighed with relief, “If you want it to shockwave, you need atmospheric pressure build up and you can only get that at altitude.”

“How high then? 30,000? 40,000?” Daiki shrugged.

Wakamatsu shook his head, “Try 85,000 feet.”

Both Taiga's and Daiki's eyes shot wide.

“85,000? The highest I've gone is 20,000!” Taiga near yelped with his mouth agape in disbelief.

“You're a Kagami! Your bloodline is known for reaching suborbital heights!” Wakamatsu snapped.

Taiga stood up straight, “What? Are you serious? I knew I could go high, but that high?”

“Yes! I've heard stories about your father. He could hit a ceiling of almost 90,000 feet. He was so high he could touch space, but he could only hang up there for a short time before he needed to come down. You're his son... You're the son of Kumo Kagami! The Cloud Walker!” Wakamatsu explained.

“I-I... All I have to do is take him up and drop him right?” Taiga asked with a gulp, needing all of his resolve to keep pushing forward.

Wakamatsu nodded, “Yeah. Take him up and let him go. He'll fall because his wings can't handle that altitude.”

“Then what do I do?” Daiki asked.

“Tuck and dive. Use your wings to control your speed until you start to build up the pressure ring. Hang there and let the friction of atmo build on top of itself. Don't pop the barrier until you're as close to the choppers as possible. The second it goes off, spread you wings and coast. Don't flap and don't try to land, or you could cramp up hard.” Wakamatsu explained rapidly, his expression firm and nothing, but serious.

Taiga's heart was hammering at the thought. Those kinds of heights were only ever achievable by manmade machines, planes meant to dance at the edge of space. Growing up, he had always looked at the sky and known, had this feeling that it was limitless, that he was limitless. He had always dreamed of reaching heights so great that even Man would be jealous and now, he was finding that he was actually scared.

“Kagami... Now, or never.” Daiki said, ripping him back into the present.

Taiga nodded, “Right... Tetsu! Get down here! We need your tank and vest!”

_“On approach.”_

* * *

 

Electricity was useful. Very useful. It powered everything from cell phones, to lights and beyond. It was such an integral part of everyday life, that living without it would feel like the dark ages. Everyone loved it so long as they weren't getting electrocuted and right now, Teppei was hating it because it hurt like hell.

From the moment Hanamiya had hit the alarm, the pair had been engaged in combat, but with the not very wide open office, Teppei's wings were limited in how useful they could be. It didn't matter though, as every time he landed a firm punch to Hanamiya's gut, that damn baton smacked him somewhere and zapped the hell out of him.

Teppei's biceps bulged hard as he swung, plowing his large fist into Hanamiya's gut like he had so many times before, but just as before, the arcing baton pressed into the side of his neck. Every muscle in his body went rigid from the shock and with a howl, he jumped back and fell down onto the desk.

“Again and again and again! You stupid flying animals never learn!” Hanamiya barked with laughter as he lunged on top of Teppei, pinning him back against the desk as he stabbed the baton down into Teppei's chest.

Again, his whole body arced from the electricity roaring through him, tensing every muscle painfully hard and making it impossible for him to fight back. His throat ripped with a scream, but his jaw was tensed closed, muffling it to come through a cage of clenched teeth. He poured as much power into his arms as he could simply to try and move them, but with 50,000 volts assault every fiber of his being, moving was impossible.

“You are nothing, but cattle! Nothing, but profit and livestock! You're our slaves! Our test subjects! Our whores!” Hanamiya roared, laughing even harder as he jammed the baton down onto Teppei's chest again, spitting the blood that seeped from his mouth onto the floor from the few punches he had received from the Titan.

“Ah!... Get!... Off!... Me!” Teppei roared, managing to muscle his hands onto Hanamiya's thighs.

The second Hanamiya lifted the baton and freed his body from the torment, Teppei clawed his fingers, digging them into Hanamiya's flesh as hard as he could and with his augmented strength, it was enough to make Hanamiya howl.

The Human jolted back, trying to get free of the painful grip, but when he couldn't, he swung the baton as hard as he could, smashing it into Teppei's cheek and electrocuting him in the process. He rolled from the hit and fell onto the floor onto his stomach where the baton jammed down into the small of his back.

“I see those experiments all those years ago worked! You're strength is impressive!” Hanamiya spat with tiny flecks of blood misting down onto Teppei's back.

The voltage coursing through his body hurt so much that without his consent, his eyes teared up, spilling over as he screamed. So long as the baton was touching him, there was nothing he could do, even his wings weren't under his control, which meant he had to time his moves perfectly.

As if there was a merciful bone in Hanamiya's body, he lifted the baton, smirking and with a mad look in his eyes as he admired his work. Teppei was covered in sweat and breathing so hard that he risked hyperventilating from having to fight against the furious pain. Tears streaked down his face and he had even given up trying to keep the saliva from spilling out of his mouth.

“Having a good time? Wait till I'm done with you... I'll milk you myself if I have to just get your seed and we'll breed every Mare we have just to have more soldier prospects from your brood! Maybe I'll save your little bitch for myself!” Hanamiya hissed as he raised the baton over his head in preparation of jamming it back down into Teppei's back.

However, threatening the very woman he loved was the last thing he should of done, as Teppei's eyes snapped open with the hottest rage that had ever burned before. He swept his wing around and tossed Hanamiya across the office, slamming the Human back against the wall hard enough to leave behind a web of jagged spider cracks before he slumped down onto the floor.

“Don't... you... dare.” Teppei breathed out, his arms shaking as he pushed himself up, breathing hard through his gritted teeth.

Hanamiya cringed from the hit, but his hand stayed wrapped around the handle of the baton as he planted his booted feet and stood, using the wall to support him.

“Have I touched a nerve?” Hanamiya hissed, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.

Teppei spit onto the floor before wiping his mouth, “If you ever touch Riko, I'll rip your head off with my bare hands.” He growled out, forcing himself to calm his breathing as he held Hanamiya's gaze.

Hanamiya started to laugh out loud, “Now we're getting somewhere! Doesn't it feel good to hate? To want someone dead so badly that you're willing to sacrifice everything?” He gripped the baton's handle tighter.

“I'm not gonna kill you!” Teppei snapped, grimacing at the cramp developing in his back from the spot that the baton had electrocuted so badly.

“Every man has their limit... Even you!”

With a roar, Hanamiya charged forward, swinging the baton in an arc in front of him and snapping it against Teppei's arm that he had raised in defense. He had mitigated the hit, but the electricity still coursed through him from head to toe, making his knees give out as he dropped back down onto the floor. He screamed as he planted his hands to try and stay up, but when the baton came down on him once more, it was the spot it touched that made his stomach lurch out of his throat.

Bile, spit and blood spilled out of Teppei's mouth as Hanamiya kept the baton between his legs, electrocuting his manhood with every volt the thing possessed. With every agonizing second that it remained between his legs, his stomach wretched over and over, only adding to the apocalyptic tension already being forced through his muscles. He was exploding from the inside and the pain was so much, so high up that everything in his vision was white.

“Now that's a reaction! To think that little ol' me could reduce a Titan to his knees... Let's keep you down for good.” Hanamiya said, his voice lower and growling the same way it had before he had ordered Kagetora's death.

He lifted the baton as he drew a pistol from his hip with his available hand, cocking the hammer back with his thumb to produce that telltale click, but with the agony gone, Teppei's ear heard it. He thrust his leg back and plowed his foot hard into Hanamiya's stomach, sending him back over his desk to fall down on the other side. His stomach still lurched, but he forced himself up, his body quivering and shivering from a cold sweat that had broken out from the merciless assaults. He felt slowed, weakened, but he had to get that baton away from Hanamiya, or the fight would stay on its course.

Forcing himself to walk, Teppei cringed from the lingering pain as he stepped around the desk, only to see that Hanamiya wasn't there. He instantly tensed at the thought of being hit with the baton again, but instead, the clicking sounded returned from behind him.

With a loud bang, the pistol went off, sending a round downrange, but the round was deflected when Teppei instinctively shifted his wing to cover his back. The bullet ricocheted off and pummeled into the wall, leaving behind a large hole as Teppei turned to face his opponent.

“I won't let you win that easily.” Teppei said, resting a hand on his stomach from the quaking twitch in his abs.

Hanamiya sneered, “It's already easy.” He bared his teeth when he laughed.

“I'm just getting started.” Teppei started to growl.

Hanamiya pursed his lips together as he took aim, but despite the Titan's 6'4 frame, he was faster than he looked. He found every ounce of strength that remained as he launched himself forward, spinning on his heel and raising his leg to kick the gun from Hanamiya's hand. The Human tried to swing the electrified baton to nullify the threat, but when he swung down, intent to land a blow to the side of Teppei's head, a giant hand caught his wrist.

“Play time's over.” Teppei hissed, his grip tightening on Hanamiya's wrist until it started to creak.

Hanamiya winced, “It's always playtime.” He laughed despite the pain spiking in his wrist.

With a final squeeze of the Human's wrist, his hand opened, unable to keep its grip on the handle to let the baton clatter to the floor. Hanamiya growled as he held the furious Titan's gaze, but Teppei wasn't phased in the slightest as he brought his foot down on the baton with a shattering crack.

“Now we're even.” Teppei said with an angry grown as he released Hanamiya's wrist and stepped back.

“I don't do fair fights.” Hanamiya hissed as he massaged his wrist.

“I refuse, _refuse_ to fall to your level!” Teppei snapped, gulping down the anger that was threatening to spill out of his throat.

“It's not so bad being down here. You can look up all the girls' skirts.” Hanamiya grinned evilly with a hop in his thick and dark eyebrows.

Teppei's brows furrowed hard, “And to think people called me the monster.” He growled.

“Takes one to know one... Now lets get on with this.” Hanamiya's smirk vanished as he cracked his neck and hopped on his toes before raising his fists.

Teppei racked his knuckles and growled with bare teeth, “Gladly.”

With equal roars, the Human and the Titan lunged forward.

* * *

 

The harsh white lights of the hallway were giving him a headache, but there wasn't time to slow down. They were so close to having the last level cleared, that all he wanted was to get the last woman out of her cell and get her to the roof.

“How many more cells, Ryōta!” Izuki called from down the hall, racking a fist across the guard's face to knock him out again.

Ryōta quickly counted the remaining cells, “Uh... Four more, than the nursery paddock!” He called back.

“The nursery paddock is through those doors! Last I heard, there's twelve children!” Izuki called out.

“Got it!” Ryōta said as he opened the next door.

It was more of the same, more girls around their age and some whom were older. A few were pregnant, while others weren't, but every time Ryōta pulled open a cell, they all cowered out of fear.

“Hey... Hey, it's ok. My name's Ryōta. We're getting you out of here, Sweetie.” Ryōta said softly, his eyes kind and voice calming as he knelt down and held out his hand.

The girl, whom was no older than he, cowered, covering her face as if it would help, but she was one of the few whom wasn't pregnant; A fact that breathed a sigh of relief into Ryōta's resolve.

“Sweetie... I know you're scared, but I'm gonna take you away from here where you'll be safe. I'm an Angelika, just like you.” Ryōta said, finally earning the girls gaze.

Just seeing her eyes, he could tell she was so much younger than he, not being anymore than thirteen. Her eyes were big, but frightened, and she was small with mousy brown wings that were still developing, evident by the prickle of her developing flight feathers. She couldn't fly just yet.

“What's your name, Honey.” Ryōta asked softly.

“T-T-Trixy.” The girl mumbled out.

“Hey, Honey... How old are you?” Ryōta asked, softly smiling at the young girl to help ease her fear.

“T-Thirteen.” She said behind her hands.

“Come on, Trixy... My friend Riko here is gonna take you to where everyone else is. She's a good woman.” Ryōta said as he slowly extended his hand closer to her.

At the offered hand, the girl flinched a little bit, but seeing the kind gaze on the man before her, she felt calmed. The blonde's wings were so pretty in their golden color, big and strong, and they matched his golden eyes that were crowned with long, luxurious lashes. He was so kind, which was a far cry from any other man she had seen.

With a nod, the girl reached out and took his hand and it was so small in his as he helped her up and smiled down at her. Riko smiled just as sweetly as she took her hand and rested her other on the small of the girl's back.

“She's the last one. I'm heading to the nursery paddock.” Ryōta said, resting his hand on Riko's shoulder.

“Ok. I'll tell Wakamatsu.” Riko said before taking the girl from the cell.

With the entire building emptied, Ryōta stepped from the cell and headed for the double doors at the end of the hall that were printed with giant letters that just read 'N-P'. He rummaged through the keys on the key ring, quickly shifting through them, but not a single one had the same letters on it.

“Shit!... Izukicchi! I don't have a key for the paddock!” Ryōta hollered down the hallway.

He tossed the now useless key ring aside before jogging down the hall, watching was Izuki searched the unconscious guard, looking in pockets, pouches and even around the guard's neck. Nothing was in the front pockets, but when he slumped the guard over to get at the back pockets of his pants, he pulled out a keycard.

“Here!” Izuki yelled as he tossed the card.

Ryōta slid to a halt and caught the card before spinning around to charge back down the hallway, his wings tucked in close so not to step on them as he ran. With the hallway too narrow to give him room to spread his wings, he was ground bound and forced to run.

Reaching the double wide doors, Ryōta slapped a hand down to stop him from plowing into it before swiping the card down the reader. The tiny red light flickered before changing to green, but when he grabbed the handles to pull them open, they blasted open from the other side.

The force of having the doors thrust open into him knocked Ryōta back, causing him to stumble and fall back onto the floor. He winced at the hit to his rump and he slid back, but when he looked up to see what had happened, what stood before him was a walking, two legged mountain.

“Oh my god-” Ryōta exhaled as he started to scoot back along the floor.

What grinned back at him was an absolute tower of a man, with scary broad shoulders and so much muscle that even at rest, they bulged and rippled. His skin was lightly tanned and his eyes were narrow and angry, dark yet still cold. His hair was dark gray and lifeless, and it had been styled back in tight cornrows with braids at the back.

“Ryōta!” Izuki yelped from the down the hall.

Ryōta's eyes wide, he whipped around and clambered to his feet, sprinting down the hall to put at least a little space between him and the brick house that was walking towards them as he charged for the Human.

“Izuki! Make sure everyone gets out! I'll hold him off!” Ryōta yelled, glancing back at the monster still walking forwards.

“So that's your name huh? Ryoutaaaaaa-,” he laughed, “I like it.” The man grinned crookedly, crackling his knuckles that only served to make his massive amounts of muscle flex even more.

Izuki didn't say a word before bolting up the stairs, leaving Ryōta the only one left in the hallway to face off with the man that was stalking towards him. He was huge, but no taller than he, and it didn't take him long to know that if this man landed a hit, it was going to hurt like hell, if not break bones.

“Come and play, little birdie! I wonder if you die after I rip your wings off.” The man said with a sinister scowl, shaking out his arms as his boot falls seemed to echo through the hall.

Ryōta's eyes shook at the sight of the malicious man, how thick his arms were, how terrifying his eyes were as they glared at him. He was the only thing standing in his way from getting into the nursery paddock and with twelve childrens' lives at stake, he wasn't willing to lose.

Pursing his lips together, Ryōta widened his stance and bent his knees, flicking his arms out to jut a pair of twin collapsible batons into his awaiting hands. They immediately extended to the length of his forearms, tipped with a small metal ball and since he couldn't hit nearly as hard as the man coming at him, these would level the playing field.

“So you know my name... What's yours?” Ryōta asked, balancing his weight on the balls of his feet as he watched the man and waited for the right time to strike.

“Ryoutaaaaa... Ryoutaaaaa... I kinda like your name. It rolls off the tongue nicely... Especially when you drag out that A.” The man continued to grin, balling his fists tightly as he stepped out his gate.

Ryōta shuffled a step back, keeping his eyes firmly planted on the man. He watched his shoulders, his steps, his posture to help him predict when he would strike, but that's when his golden eyes flicked over the cloth name tag over the man's right breast pocket.

“Haizaki huh?... Pleasure.” Ryōta grimaced, shuffling another step back as his wings bristled, his brows furrowing down over his eyes.

With just a sneer, the man rose up onto his toes and started to run, his movements slow, but each step nearly felt like an earthquake when his boots hit the floor. Nothing about him was clumsy, or unsure, and if the look in his narrow and dark eyes were any indication, Ryōta had no time to waste.

Sprinting forward, Ryōta tightened his grip on his collapsible batons, charging straight for the monster of a man with reckless abandon. This was it. He had to put all those long weeks of training with Himuro to use, so as he planted his foot hard onto the wall, Ryōta bounded off and racked his baton forward.

* * *

 

_**Lycanwolff: (Smacking Hanamiya with a rolled up newspaper) Stop! Trying! To! Kill! My! Actors!** _

_**Makoto: (Cowering) It was better! That idiot even agreed!** _

_**Teppei: What!? I did not! When did I say “Hey, Makoto! Go ahead and electrocute my nethers!”** _

_**Lycanwolff: (Continues beating) I should let him do it right back to you!** _

_**Makoto: I'm supposed to be evil! That's evil! Stop hitting me!** _

_**Shintarō: (Picks Lycanwolff up by her waist) I hate to say it, but he does have a point.** _

_**Lycanwolff: (Kicking and screaming) Shin! Let me go! He deserves to be beaten up with a fish!** _

_**Shintarō: (Carries her off) You are paying him to be evil, need I remind you.** _

_**Lycawolff: (Fuming) Fine! But I've got my eye on you, Hanamiya! Don't try to kill Teppei, or I'm gutting you with a titanium spork!** _

_**Makoto: What the hell is a spork?** _

 


	20. Episode 20

**Episode 20**

 

From the second the elevator's doors opened up into the underground passageway, Shintarō and Takao had been faced with nothing, but guards. The alarm had gone off near as soon as they had stepped into the car, forcing them to ready themselves for the inevitable. They had climbed up through the car ceiling to fool the guards that would be running for the elevator, and it had worked perfectly. As soon as they stepped into the car to check it out, Shintarō and Takao kicked them in the face.

They had covered the length of the passageway in a sprint to get to the main elevator shaft, and instead of waiting for the car, Shintarō had blasted it open with a machine gun's worth of razors that carved open the doors. They dove down the shaft, and as much as they wanted to head straight to the labs, they needed to free what test subjects they had locked up first.

They quickly arrived at the door for level 4, where Shintarō pulled them apart with his bare hands while he hovered, darting out of the way just in time to avoid getting hit with a flurry of darts that buried themselves in the wall of the shaft. With Takao's keen eyes, the guards were dropped with razors to their shoulders. They writhed from the pain until swift kicks knocked them cold and Shintarō took their keycards, setting them up to open the double doors at the end of the short corridor.

“Shin-Chan... This is the first specimen block, but I'm not sure what we'll find in here.” Takao said, staying behind the large Razor-wing mainly because he wasn't letting him lead.

“We're about to find out... Stay be-” Shintarō was interrupted.

“Behind you... I know, I know. I'm not weak anymore, just to let you know, Shin-Chan.” Takao said, but his words weren't laced with irritation, or annoyance that his partner was so dedicated to protecting him.

Instead of swiping their stolen keycard down the reader, Shintarō turned to face Takao, placing his hand against his cheek as his lips curled up into a gentle smile.

“I know, Kazu, but I made a promise that I intend to keep.” Shintarō said, stroking his thumb just under Takao's amber colored eye.

Takao returned the smile, “Me too... Just don't focus so much on that, that it makes it impossible to keep. Let's worry about it together... As a pair.” He reached up and took Shintarō's hand.

The tiniest of flutters drifted through his heart as he nodded, bending down enough to bring their lips together where Takao met him halfway. It was a motionless kiss, but one that lasted several moments and if Shintarō was honest with himself, it was just enough to steel his resolve for what was to come.

Shintarō broke the kiss and nodded before turning back towards the doors and swiping the keycard down the reader. The light turned green just like all the others before Shintarō pushed the door open, but froze as his emerald eyes drank in what lay before them.

The doors opened up into an entirely white and circular room with soft lighting that cast no shadow. Not even the closely spaced doors offered much in the way of definition. It was almost as if they had stepped into a dreamworld that was limitless and timeless, and as they started to walk into the room that was lined with cells, they stopped and peaked inside the first one on the left through the small glass window.

“Oh my god-” Shintarō breathed, his mouth agape with shock and his eyes shaking at what he saw.

“Shin-Chan?... What is it?” Takao asked, unable to look for himself since Shintarō's wings were too large to see around.

Shintarō just gulped as he shifted his wing back, draping his arm over Takao's shoulders to bring him up front so he could see. He couldn't take his eyes off of the Angelika inside, and as much as he wanted to, no amount of will power he had could make him.

Inside, a male Angelika no older than eighteen was writhing, clawing at his own skin with a wide, crazed look in his entirely blind eyes. He was so, utterly thin that he looked as if he was bones draped in loose skin, but what made both their hearts ache with despair, was that his wings lay on the floor, having been ripped off by his own hand and covered near everything in dark red blood.

Takao couldn't look anymore as he squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face into Shintarō's chest. It pained him to see one of their own so dilapidated, so far gone in their own minds that they would tear off their own wings to leave behind bloody stumps. What lay inside wasn't an Angelika anymore, but rather a remnant born from nightmare.

“There's no helping him. He's gone.” Shintarō said, cradling Takao to him and protecting him by wrapping his arm around the Hawk-wing.

Takao softly whimpered into Shintarō's chest, “We can't leave him like that.” He said, finally lifting his head to look up into his lover's eyes.

Shintarō closed his eyes as he loosened his hold on Takao, letting him step aside as he backed up a few passes to afford him some room. With his height, he could still see through the small window, at how much blood was sprayed over the stark white walls and his ears could still hear the unintelligent mumbles from behind the door. It pained his heart, but he knew it would be far more cruel simply to walk away.

“Kazu... I need the kill shot. As fast and as painless as possible.” Shintarō said quietly, his eyes sad as he pushed up his glasses.

Takao nodded, releasing a slightly shaky breath before his amazing hawk eyes gathered the information he needed. The writhing Angelika was crouched down, rocking back and forth, but with his eyes of amber, he knew exactly where to hit him to end his suffering.

“Give me a razor.” Takao said as he held out his hand.

Shintarō's feathers bristled and spread, producing a single razor that he pulled and placed into Takao's hand that he took and carved two X's into the door.

“Top is first, then the bottom one no more than a half second later. That'll give you your kill shot.” Takao said quietly as he stepped away from the door to stand by his partner.

Shintarō simply nodded as he steadied his breathing, his heart still aching, but he knew this had to be done. They had no choice and with a single exhale that was slow and steady, he let two razors fly that punctured straight through the door without so much as a falter in their path.

Not a second later, the troubled moans and mumbles stopped. Just stopped. There was no scream, no howl, no thunk. The entire room was so quiet that the only sound that they could hear was the blood being pumped through their own veins. It was an eerie calm, but one that told both that it had been done.

Stepping back up to the small window, Shintarō looked inside at the male, and he had simply laid down, covered in his own blood between his severed wings with two razors embedded in his flesh; One through the side of his ribcage to pierce his heart, and the other buried in his temple. He was gone before he fully fell back.

“Thank you, Kazu.” Shintarō said quietly, looking away from the window and down at Takao.

“It had to be done.” Takao said, leaning his head over to rest it against Shintarō's chest.

Shintarō nodded and kissed his hair, “We have more blocks to clear. Are you gonna be ok?” He held him close.

“Are you?” Takao asked, looking up to let his amber eyes convey his real concern.

Shintarō's lips parted in preparation to answer, but his throat produced no words, merely because he didn't have any to say. He had thought he would feel sick, feel like he let a piece of his own soul die by taking another's life, but his heart was screaming at him that he had done the right thing. He hadn't killed, he had euthanized and it was that, that would carry him on.

With a nod and a reassuring smile that took little effort to produce, Shintarō and Takao went to the next cell.

* * *

 

The air was getting colder with each foot they gained, dropping the ground further and further away as if it was being swallowed by a black hole. The choppers were nearly ready to lift off the ground, but they needed more time in order to get to their target altitude. Taiga needed more time.

His face covered with the breather mask in order to handle the sheer altitude, Daiki's wings stayed wide to help negate some of his weight, just like Wakamatsu had instructed. Taiga flew above him, his large crimson wings beating down hard to climb higher and higher with his hands gripping the straps between Daiki's wings. They needed to climb higher, climb faster, but if the look on Taiga's face was anything to go by, he was struggling just to maintain this.

 _“Oi! What's wrong with you, Bakagami! Climb faster!”_ Daiki barked out, his voice sounding off in Taiga's ear through the comms in the breather mask.

Taiga grit his teeth together, _“I'm trying, but my wings are killing me! I'm highly doubting I'll even reach 85,000!”_ He groaned, each downbeat sending wave after wave of ache through his whole back.

 _“Dude! We have to! People are counting on us! We're at 29,000 right now, so keep going!”_ Daiki ordered as he started to flap his wings to help his brother out.

However, as he started to beat his navy wings, he felt them do precisely nothing. They were already over his ceiling, into air too thin for his wings to work. No matter how hard he beat his wings, or how fast, if Taiga let go now, he'd fall. The problem was, was that Taiga was running the risk of doing the same.

 _“Wakamatsu! You on?”_ Daiki called into their comms with the hopes of reaching the Aurora-wing.

 _“I heard... How old are you, Taiga?”_ Wakamatsu's voice asked.

Taiga grunted, but continued to climb despite the extreme ache that was on the border of being painful, _“16... Why?”_ He huffed.

 _“16 and what? Five? Six months?”_ Wakamatsu asked.

 _“His birthday's August 2_ _nd_ _!”_ Daiki answered for him.

 _“Fuck! I should've thought about that before sending you up! Why the fuck didn't you tell me you were having issues, Kagami?”_ Wakamatsu's voice growled in irritation.

 _“B-Because I didn't see a need! It's just an ache!... Gah!”_ Taiga hissed, the muscles in his wings tightening with each downbeat to the point where it felt like he needed more and more strength just to keep going.

 _“It's not just an ache! Look at his wings, Aomine! What do they look like?”_ Wakamatsu demanded.

Daiki craned his head around as best he could to look at the two toned crimson feathers, but with the hard downbeats that Taiga was producing, it was making it difficult. He couldn't get a good look if he tried.

 _“I don't know! He's beating them hard, but we're climbing way too slow! We aren't gonna hit 85,000 anytime soon at this rate!”_ Daiki said, shifting his gaze to Taiga's face to see the pained grimace and building sweat.

 _“Jesus Christ!... This fucking hurts! What're we at?”_ Taiga hissed, his grip on the straps beginning to shake from the pain.

 _“31,000 and you're slowing down!”_ Daiki barked.

The pain was near unbearable, as each beat was shaky and far weaker than they should be. His muscles were howling for a break, and Taiga feared that if he didn't get it soon, they both would plummet from the sky. With each downbeat, he felt as if his wings were being twisted and pulled off. He couldn't glide and climb at the same time, and with the choppers lifting off, they didn't have time to spare.

 _“I can't do it! They're pulling off! It hurts!”_ Taiga howled, his voice shaking as the pain reached a new height.

 _“We're at 35,000! Just go! Come on, Bakagami! I know you can fly us up there!”_ Daiki tried to encourage, but they had stopped climbing.

 _“I can't! You have no idea how much this hurts! I'm trying to climb, but I can't!”_ Taiga barked, his wings beginning to flap out of sync with each other.

 _“Do it, or we lose!”_ Daiki roared.

It was too much. There was too much pain and it had increased so much that his whole back felt as if it had been set on fire from the inside. His spine was white hot, his muscles burned and his vision was beginning to blur. He was getting lightheaded the more he tried, but he would be damned if he let his brother drop. He was out of strength, out of stamina and it was either hold onto his brother, or flap. He couldn't do both and with the pain creeping up his spine to reach his brain, he chose to hold onto Daiki as both began to fall.

* * *

 

Blood poured from his mouth, his jaw aching and pulsing from having been hit. His right eye was black and blue, his ribs were peppered with knuckled hits that left behind darkening bruises and his forehead was split open from having taken a knee to the head.

Teppei stuttered back from the kick, holding his ribs to try and ebb the pain. He had been taken by surprise, as Hanamiya was a far more capable fighter than he had thought. Despite being taller than the Human by nearly five inches and noticeably outweighing him, the Human was able to match him punch for punch and kick for kick. There was even power behind them, as he was superbly proficient with his follow through and when he landed a solid hit, it felt as if Hanamiya was punching _through_ him.

“Please tell me there's more to your fight than this. This is laughable.” Hanamiya hissed, spitting blood from his mouth from having taken a firm crack to the jaw.

Teppei grimaced as he stood up straight, “Stop worrying about my fight, and focus on yours.” He snapped back, swiping away the blood from over his eye.

“I'm doing just fine with that. Give me something to gloat about, will you! It's no fun when all I can say is I beat the shit out of a Titan who's ball sack is bigger than his brain.” Hanamiya snarled as he gave his arms a quick shake before raising his fists again.

Teppei glowered at him, “How about you shut your fucking mouth and show me!”

The tight space of the office didn't matter anymore as Teppei flapped his wings hard, launching him forward to ram his shoulder into Hanamiya's chest where he slammed a punch to his gut. The Human rocked from the hit as his back cracked into the wall with more blood spilling from between his lips. The Titan was incredibly strong and he could feel his ribs cracking from the power, but he couldn't give up, nor would he.

With the Titan so close, Hanamiya snapped his knee into Teppei's ribcage over and over again with as much power as his legs could muster. Each hit made Teppei jolt away to try and lessen the damage, but Hanamiya had wrapped an arm around his shoulder to pour stress onto the joint. He had a firm hold of Teppei's arm, so much so that the Titan's own weight could be used against him.

Another painful knee to the ribs to weaken Teppei's stance, he jerked up hard, taking the arm with him that pulled Teppei's shoulder back with a pop. With white hot heat that screamed all over his torso, he scream as he dropped to the floor, his left arm completely useless since its shoulder had just been wretched out of place.

“One down, one more to go... Then I'm taking your wings!” Hanamiya growled before dropping down on top of the Titan.

With a useless arm, Teppei was reduced to defending with his right, as his wings were pinned beneath him on the floor. Hanamiya was blitzing him with blows to his ribs and face. This Human, this smaller, lighter Human was tearing him to pieces and if he couldn't get to his feet and reset his shoulder, it was gonna be the end of him.

Teppei rolled hard onto his left, making his dislocated shoulder scream, but he had done it on purpose. His own weight worked for him this time and popped the joint back into place with a pop so loud that it filled his ears. He yelped from the pain, but now that he had thrown Hanamiya and lay on his side, his right wing was free.

He arced his wing around and slammed it into Hanamiya, throwing him into the wall to buy him time to get to his feet. He climbed up, huffing his pained breath, but his eyes weren't defeated yet. He still had all the fight in the world to keep going and with Riko set firmly in his mind, it was his turn.

With Hanamiya against the wall, Teppei racked an undercut punch right into his gut, jolting him back into the wall and keeping him in place. He wasted no time in swinging his elbow around, connecting it with the Human's jaw before swinging his renewed left arm around to crack the other side. He blitzed Hanamiya's ribs with his good knee, catching him in the pelvis with painful cracks and he had managed to land several blows before Hanamiya was able to counteract him.

He had to admit, Hanamiya had a hard head, but he wasn't expecting him to use it to crack him in the nose that instantly bled. He stumbled back, releasing Hanamiya from the wall whom slumped over holding his ribs and nearly lost his footing entirely until his thighs touched back into the edge of the desk.

“I hate you and your kind... I hate how you live longer... Hate how you look at us and above all, I hate that my kind worshiped you bastards as angels! I want you all dead!” Hanamiya spat with nothing, but acid in his words that bled up into his eyes.

“I'll sacrifice whatever it takes to make sure that doesn't happen! We have just as much a right as you do to live and I won't sit back and let you lay us to ruin! That's why I came back! That's why I came back to this nightmare! To end it!” Teppei snapped back, spitting the blood from his mouth from his bleeding nose.

Hanamiya was seeing red. His rage burned so hot that he was beginning to shake, not from pain, but undiluted hatred. Just seeing their wings, their eyes, hearing them talk made his blood boil and when it came to this wretched Titan in front of him, he wanted to take his life in the worst way.

“Just... fucking... die!” Hanamiya roared as he lunged.

He swung forward with the full intent of cracking Teppei's skull, but the pain in his ribs was too much. The powerful knees had broken several and he felt his breath catch in his own throat. All the power in his strike was lost when his steps faltered and that's when a giant hand latched onto his throat.

Teppei's eyes were angry, drawn down with strongly furrowed brows. His lips were pursed together as he dragged the Human closer, never letting his eyes falter from the shaking dead gray looking back until they were nose to nose.

“I'll live as long as it takes just to piss you off.” Teppei growled.

With all his strength, Teppei lifted Hanamiya into the air by his throat, letting him shake and gargle for breath as he hung uselessly like a fish out of water. Water streaked down Hanamiya's cheeks, but he knew far too well that they weren't from fear, or regret, or anything else. Those tears were from the simple and carnal fact that he couldn't breathe.

Pursing his lips together, Teppei's will told him that it was time to end their fight, upon which he agreed. He held Hanamiya's throat firm for a second longer before wheeling around and thrusting him down into the desk, slamming him through it with an explosion of debris that simply caved beneath him. Teppei didn't stop until Hanamiya lay on the bed of debris, not moving and with eyes closed as blood spilled from between his parted lips. Sparks fizzled out from underneath him, but soon died as all power to the modern desk bled off and went dark.

With the office falling quiet, Teppei's mind finally focused in on just how much he hurt. Each breath made his ribcage scream and his jaw ached just by moving it. His eye pulsed from the developing bruise and every time he even twitched his left shoulder, it thumped in protest.

“Jesus... Riko's gonna pissed at me.” Teppei groaned as he attempted to stand up straight, only to stop the second his whole torso thumped in protest.

He rolled his shoulder as he worked his way to standing up straight, but seeing the unconscious Hanamiya laying in the rubble of his own desk, he grumbled about what to do with him. With the knowledge that they were still planning on blowing the base at the front of his mind, he knew he couldn't leave him there. No matter how much he wanted to.

“Alright... Let's go, you jerk.” Teppei grumbled as he bent down and grabbed two fistfuls of Hanamiya's uniform.

“You first!”

Before Teppei could react, Hanamiya's eyes snapped open as his arm thrust forward, but it was in that moment that Teppei's whole world started to spin. His stomach erupted into a wail of heat and pain that thundered its way through his entire trunk. He couldn't breathe, couldn't react, and it took everything he had to look down.

Hanamiya had stabbed him in the gut.

“Once it's broken, it's all just trash... Now fade into oblivion you feathered piece of shit.” Hanamiya hissed lowly as he gave the knife a twist.

Teppei jerked from the action as the pain reached unbelievable levels, how the blood poured from his wound in a solid stream. His hands trembled, but he kept his grip on Hanamiya's collar as he started to cackle, his eyes wide with pride, but Teppei kept his eyes locked with them as the Human leaned forward to bring his mouth next to his ear.

“I'm going to enjoy fucking your bitch.”

The world no longer existed. There was no air to breathe, or ground to set his feet on. Nothing mattered, but his own heartbeat that pumped erratically in his chest. There was only one thought on his wayward mind, and that was of Riko and how desperate his heart was to protect her. There was no distance he wouldn't travel, how high he wouldn't go simply to keep a promise he had made with a dying man. He had to make it through this, had to survive because if he didn't, then his whole reason for living would be taken from him.

“I-I... w-won't... l-let... y-you!”

Faster than Hanamiya could react, Teppei released his uniform, but without even letting him drop, his large hands flipped him around and grabbed his jaw while the other, the back of his head. It was over in an instant, but when Teppei ripped his hands apart, he craned Hanamiya's skull off his spine with a single twist and a loud pop.

The Human dropped in a heap onto the destroyed desk where he stayed, eyes frozen open and tongue hanging out of his mouth like a dead tentacle. Those cold, dead eyes were frighteningly similar to those he had seen in Kagetora, but these eyes had always been dead and cold. They had never once shined with life, with passion, only hatred and malice, and with his heart freed, Teppei knelt down and closed those eyes for good before collapsing onto the floor.

* * *

 

If there was one thing that Ryōta was grateful for, it was that he was fast, because in that very moment, it was the only thing keeping him from getting nailed by the giant in front of him.

Blow after blow, strike after strike, Ryōta had landed his hits exactly where he had wanted to, but with this Haizaki's sheer bulk, they were no more than tickles that left behind barely reddening spots as if he had just scratched an itch.

“Ha! Is that all you've got, Little Birdie? That's the kind of shit lovers do. Come on! Give me something to look forward to!” Haizaki rolled with laughter as he shook off a hit to his jaw from one of Ryōta's batons.

Ryōta was panting from the exertion of having to strike and dodge so fast, but if he didn't, he feared a single strike from this monster would put him down. His heart was thundering in his chest and his skin was coated in sweat from his quick dodges, but his strength was still good and he gripped his duel batons tightly. If quick jabs was what it was going to take, then quick jabs was what he was going to do.

He bared his teeth as he sprang forward and racked a baton around, connecting the balled tip to the giant's knee a split second before the other baton found its target in the form of his thigh. Two strikes down, Ryōta ducked and tucked his wings down low, keeping them from getting grabbed by Haizaki's hands before ducking between his legs. He popped up on his back side and unleashed a massive barrage of quick, blitzing strikes to the hulk's back, but the tree trunk that was this Human was deceptively quicker than he appeared.

Haizaki spun on his heel in a flash and grabbed Ryōta's batons in both hands, his knuckles white with strength and his thin lips pursed together. His dangerous eyes were narrow as he glared and when the metal of the batons began to groan, Ryōta flinched when they popped and broke in two.

“Shit!” Ryōta barked before dodging an attempted grab, actually backflipping away from the reach with his wings out as wide as the walls would allow.

“You're a nimble little bird! Just wait till I get my hands on you!” Haizaki growled, stomping towards Ryōta and swiping his arms across in front of him as he tried to get his hands on the blonde.

Without his batons, Ryōta knew that he was weakened, but Himuro had been diligent in his training and had taught them all hand to hand. He leaned back to avoid getting snatched, but grabbed the giant's wrist before snapping a fast fist into his nose. The hit snapped Haizaki's head back, but he wasn't phased by the strike. He grinned crookedly at him and reached out with his other hand, but his fingers only curled around air as Ryōta ducked away just in time.

“I'm getting annoyed with you being so slippery, Ryōtaaaaa... Just give up. As soon as I lay my hands on you, you're done.” Haizaki growled in annoyance, taking a wide swing to try and hit the blonde, only for his knuckles to plow into the wall.

Ryōta's eyes widened as Haizaki pulled his fist out of the wall, sprinkling small chunks onto the floor. It had left a solid hole and the Human's knuckles weren't even split and bleeding. All he could think to do was gulp.

“What are you?” Ryōta asked, disbelieving what was happening as he stepped back from the advancing Haizaki.

“Human... Thought you could tell.” Haizaki sneered, giving his hand a quick shake before crackling his knuckles.

“Sure, but I don't know any Humans who can do that.” Ryōta said, refusing to blink and risk missing his chance to duck and avoid getting creamed.

“I'm special.” Haizaki growled with a crooked grin.

“Special how? There's something behind your strength. What is it?” Ryōta asked, jumping backwards to dodge a punch meant for his ribs.

“What makes you say that?” Haizaki asked, baring his teeth with a growl as he tried again to land a solid hit to the nimble blonde.

“You punched a metal wall, you idiot!” Ryōta snapped, fluttering his wings to jump back a bit further to gain some distance between them.

Haizaki's crooked grin only spread across his face as his insanely thick throat rumbled with a low laugh. He rolled his shoulders back to stand up straight, his eyes set hard on Ryōta and he didn't need to ask to see the intent that flashed across them. This Human wanted nothing more than to lay down harm.

“Fine... I'll tell you. I'm augmented. I'm a Human just as powerful as any Titan! I'm a god like this, but I won't show mercy once I get my hands on you! I'm a super soldier!” Haizaki laughed out loud as he spread his arms out to the side as if presenting the eighth wonder of the world.

Ryōta's breath caught in his throat, “Shit!” He barked before he was forced onto the defensive.

* * *

 

The office was dead silent, save for the drowned out sound of the alarm that was reduced to nothing more than a distant echo. The silence was tense, overbearing as it weighed down on all their shoulders. It had been quiet for several minutes, but as Seijūrō sat with his three companions behind him, as did General Harasawa.

“You don't seem like a violent man, General.” Seijūrō finally broke the silence, his voice calm, collected as he kept his two crimson eyes locked on the middle-aged man.

“I'm not, but my chosen career doesn't leave room for me to maintain that ideal.” Harasawa said, interlocking his fingers in his lap as he regarded the four in front of him.

“You proved that at the Battle of Pacific Sky, though now, I question what actually happened. For sixteen years, my brothers and I had been taught we were the last, only for that to be proven otherwise. What actually happened, General?” Seijūrō asked with zero emotion across his face.

Harasawa drew in a deep breath as he started to twirl a lock of his slightly wavy hair, “We were being overwhelmed by a battalion of Razor-wings and we couldn't find them. They were keeping us pinned down while a wave of Titans blitzed all of our airborne heavy artillery platforms and there was nothing we could do. We were sitting ducks and all I remember is feeling nothing, but terror. That's all I remember before waking up in the hospital and being told what I had done.” He explained.

Seijūrō tilted his head slightly, “So if I'm to understand this correctly, the Butcher of Pacific Sky only earned that name because of fear?”

Harasawa nodded, “Yes. Plain and simple. I was terrified and a young lieutenant at the time. I had never seen combat before then and seeing all our forces, all our technology being obliterated by creatures clearly more powerful than us was the most frightening thing I had ever seen. We had spent centuries advancing our technology, perfecting our tactics of war, only to be undone by natural abilities and a better understanding of what it means to go to war.”

“The Human race showed their darker side during that war. Your understanding of it, is simply to kill as many as possible until the treat is gone. To the Angelika, war was simply a term used to describe a conflict, whether it be physical, or emotional. At war with one's self. At war with a another. War was a simple dispute to us, but that's all gone now. There are so few of us left that were actually there, that all you have done for sixteen years, General, is enslave a race of people not unlike yourselves.” Seijūrō said, still completely steady and calm with eyes never faltering from looking right back at the man across from him.

“I don't disagree with you. Being in charge of this base, what it's been doing for the past seventeen years has killed me. There is no piece of my soul left.” Harasawa said, his eyes flicking down to stare at his desk.

“So without a soul, does that mean you are no longer Human?” Seijūrō asked plainly.

“I haven't been Human since that day... Since I saw what it meant to truly accept your fate. I've spent the last seventeen years dreading the day that I would be judged.” Harasawa said, looking back up to meet the crimson gaze.

“Is today that day?” Seijūrō asked, neatly crossing his legs.

Harasawa didn't know how to answer. The chaos outside seemed like it was a dream, or a nightmare. All he had known was nightmare, as day in and day out, he distanced himself from the day to day operations, simply out of trying to rebuild his soul. He had been responsible for killing so many, that he doubted he was Human at all. Whenever he looked in a mirror, he saw a man with a past so heavy that he was being dragged down to the dregs of the ocean, never to be seen again, and if he could make it actually happen, he would gladly accept.

“I suppose that's up to you. I've held onto the dream that maybe one day, I could atone, but I have no right to ask for it.” Harasawa said softly, drawing in a deep breath that he near immediately let out in a sigh.

“Then consider this a chance, General, and I will start with asking why such a man is having trouble keeping eye contact with a child.” Seijūrō said with another slight tilt of his head.

His eyes shifted to the right and avoided looking at the boy, “Because it was the look in a child's eyes that broke my soul.”

Seijūrō's brows furrowed, “How so?”

Harasawa's eyes became distant as he spoke, “It was seventeen years ago when we first started this. The first clutch of children bred here were nearly ready to be born and I was doing my daily rounds to check on base operations. I went to the detention blocks where we kept the pregnant females, only to catch the eye of a young Titan girl whom was pregnant with her first child. She was fifteen... So young and terrified and not sure what was happening, but every time a Human got close, she cradled her belly to protect what was inside her. She protected a child we had forced on her.”

The four simply sat quiet as the General paused, his eyes still distant as he continued.

“Not long after, she gave birth in that very room to a healthy baby boy. A Titan baby boy, so naturally he was a big baby. He cried, but when his mother held him close, cradled him in her arms, I saw that fear she had had for so long disappear for a few moments while she looked at her son. Despite what we were doing to her, she still found it in her heart to love a child she never asked for. In that moment of calm and before the boy was taken, she had asked me for a single favor.” He paused, but this time, his eyes became seeing again as he looked at them and swallowed.

“Did you grant her that favor?” Seijūrō asked softly.

The General nodded, “I did. She had asked me if she could name her boy; An actual name so she could hold onto it and cherish it for as long as she lived. I allowed her to, and it was that name that has been burned into my mind ever since. Not a day goes by that I don't think of it and each time, a piece of my soul breaks away. What sits in front of you is a raw man, young Crimson Emperor.”

“What was that name, General? What name is capable of reducing The Butcher to what sits in front of me now?” Seijūrō asked.

Harasawa turned his gaze to his lap where he saw that his fingers had begun to lightly shake. Every time he dared to say that name, his fingers would shake, his stomach would spin and his heart would stutter. Day in and day out, that name only served to assault his memory and if it was to be apart of his atonement, than he would accept it. He was in purgatory, suspended in torment and if finding the strength simply to say the name out loud meant he could begin to heal, he would.

Drawing in a deep breath, the General's eyes met theirs and he said that very name that he was incapable of forgetting.

“Teppei Kiyoshi.”

* * *

 

**Teppei: I love that part! It's spine tingling! (Puts ice over ribs)**

**Lycanwolff: How are you so happy? You're beat to shit.**

**Teppei: (Shrugs) No sense in being grouchy about it. We all knew I was gonna get a bit beat up.**

**Makoto: Can I have my check now? My part's over.**

**Lycanwolff: (Glares, but writes check) Here... And it's not over just yet. You still have to lay there and be dead.**

**Makoto: (Groans)**

**Takao: Will you ask her, Shin-Chan?**

**Shintarō: No! Shut up about it! It's all about timing anyways. Right now isn't the time.**

**Takao: I'm gonna ask her for you.**

**Shintarō: No you aren't! I swear to god, if you do, I'll post those stupid pictures of you dancing in a princess dress with your little sister** **all over the internet.**

**Takao: (Eyes go wide) Well, aren't you no fun.**

**Shintarō: (Pushes up glasses) Just let me do this my way, alright? I don't need your help.**

**Takao: (Huffs and crosses arms) Ok, fine, but only because I don't want those pics getting back to Miyaji.**

**Shintarō and Takao: (Both shutter at the thought)**

 


	21. Episode 21

**Episode 21**

 

They were tumbling. The ground was coming up fast and no matter how loud Daiki yelled at his brother, there was nothing he could do with wings that refused to work. However, now that they weren't furiously trying to carrying them upwards, he could see that something was wrong; Very, very wrong with Taiga's wings.

He reached behind him and pried Taiga's hands from the handles on the vest to flip around, but he kept a firm grip on his wrists to keep them from drifting apart as they fell. Taiga was limp, but awake, and if the furious grimace on his face was any hint, he was in a lot of pain. He quickly studied the condition of the crimson wings, and he wasn't at all pleased with how they looked with feathers going everywhere like some epic case of bedhead. There was no possible way for them to maintain an airflow, and with that thought, Daiki knew he had to act fast, or both of them were going to get a permanent study in gravity.

 _“Wakamatsu! Something's wrong! Taiga's wings are shot! There's feathers everywhere!”_ Daiki barked, pulling on Taiga's arms to bring him closer so he could wrap an arm around his waist to get a better grip.

 _“Listen and don't argue with me, Aomine! Flip him around and sit on his ass! Latch your legs around his waist so he go fall off somewhere!”_ Wakamatsu's voice commanded.

 _“Are you serious?”_ Daiki yelped with a squeak, looking at Taiga's face that was hazed with pain.

_“Don't argue! You're falling faster than you were climbing, so do it now!”_

With a growl, Daiki held onto Taiga's waist while he used his other hand to flip him around by the shoulder. Taiga was in too much pain to protest, but when the wind caught his useless wings and snapped them back behind him, he screamed from the sharp pain that pin-balled its way all through his body. He hurt so much that he barely moved and it was all thumping and pounding from the spot on his back between his wings.

Once he had Taiga turned, Daiki wrapped his legs around Taiga's waist, keeping him exactly where he needed him to see that maddening red spot in the middle of Taiga's back. Just looking at it, he could feel the heat being ripped off of it and it was clearly swollen.

 _“Jesus Christ... He's got this giant knot in between his wings! No wonder he's frozen!”_ Daiki growled, daring to touch the spot, but it only made Taiga writhe in pain the moment his fingers touched it.

 _“He isn't frozen! Listen, Aomine... You need to punch that spot and punch it hard. If you don't, you hit the ground!”_ Wakamatsu said with urgency, his voice betraying that he was on the verge of freaking out.

 _“Wait! No! Don't! Please! It hurts enough as it is!”_ Taiga voiced up, his pained grunts coming through as he spoke.

 _“We have to, Kagami! It'll stop hurting!”_ Wakamatsu's voice snapped.

Taiga could barely contain his screams, he was in so much agony. The pain was searing, so hot that his vision was becoming white. He was shaking so badly that he could barely make fists to help distract him from the pain and he was to the point where he'd be willing to do anything to make it go away.

 _“Just make it stop! It hurts!”_ Taiga yelped, clenching his teeth tightly and squeezing his eyes shut.

_“Do it, Aomine!”_

Daiki pursed his lips together as he gathered all his strength, lifting a fist high into the air as he balanced both of them in the rushing air as they fell. It was tough to do both, but he knew he had to do it in order to give them both a fighting chance. He brought his fist down hard onto the swollen red spot, but it only made Taiga unleash that very scream he had been trying to hold back.

Even in the rush of the wind, trapped in their stall, Daiki's ears could heard it. It was blood curdling, the kind of scream someone let lose when they had nothing else to lose. Taiga was writhing, in so much agony that even death would be a reprieve. He plowed his knuckles into the same spot, but again, all it managed to do was make his brother scream even louder. His heart ached that he was causing someone he cared about so much pain, but he had to trust that it was for the best.

 _“Stop! I can't take it! It's hurts so much!”_ Taiga screamed, his skin glistening in the moonlight from the pained sweat that had erupted over his skin.

_“I'm sorry! I have to, or we're both-”_

Daiki's words caught in his throat when he glanced at Taiga's wings, how the feathers seemed to be doubling up on themselves. They were still sprawled in every direction like they were mashed together, but towards the tips of his wings, he saw that they were beginning to split.

 _“What the fuck? What the fuck is happening to his wings?”_ Daiki yelped, driving another hard hit to the red spot on Taiga's back, only to be met with another scream.

 _“Keep going! Kagami's a Cloud Walker!”_ Wakamatsu's voice roared.

Hit after hit, Daiki continued to hit the same spot, glancing at Taiga's wings each time to see the split was getting bigger. He realized it then what Wakamatsu had meant by calling his brother a Cloud Walker. It wasn't the fact that he could reach suborbital altitudes, if at all for a short time, but rather, it was a configuration. On wing, Taiga could reach 40,000 feet, but with a second set, he could double that. Taiga's wings weren't useless, they were splitting in two.

With only enough time for one more hit, Daiki raised his elbow, intended to use it to drive more power into the spot. With the pinpointed end, he could do it, he knew he could and as he grabbed Taiga's shoulder and drove it down, the power was unleashed.

The second his elbow buried itself into Taiga's back, his crimson wings frilled and split in two, producing a full second set of wings that had been hiding against his primary set. They were slightly smaller, but fully functional and the second they had finally separated, Taiga's pain vanished. Their fall instantly stopped with a hard jerk before Taiga swung around to grab the handles against Daiki's back before giving both sets a hard downbeat, launching them skyward so hard, that his stomach near shot from his body.

 _“Holy shit! Now we're talking! 5,000... 10,000... 15,000!... We're climbing stupid fast!”_ Daiki yelped with a laugh as he just watched the ground drop back once again, his wings tucked in hard against his body so not to impose on Taiga's duel sets.

 _“The pain's gone! What the hell is this? I have two sets of wings!”_ Taiga whooped, his duel wings beating hard and in unison that carried them up fast.

 _“It's the Cloud Walker configuration! Only your bloodline has it! Normally, they would have just split when you came of age, but the stress delayed it! Since you were already on wing when it happened, you needed help to split them!”_ Wakamatsu's voice explained in both their ears.

 _“It's so easy! I can climb like this all day! Double the span, double the climbing power!”_ Taiga beamed, sucking in massive lungfuls of the thinning air to power his muscles that beat his twin sets of wings.

 _“Exactly! Now shut the hell up and breathe! There isn't enough air up there to talk and fly at the same time! Just draw in huge gulps, hold, then release! Your lungs are designed to handle the altitudes!”_ Wakamatsu said.

It almost seemed as if it was getting quieter the higher they went, his lungs gulping down as much air as they could hold. Each downbeat pulled them higher and higher, and he was needing so much air to power his muscles that he was gulping it down by the mouthful. Each huge draw filled out his chest and each time he downbeat with both sets of wings, he released his breath.

Through his massive breathing, he could hear Daiki's voice reporting their height, and they were almost there. Only a couple thousand more feet and he could touch the sky. The air was cold against his skin, but he was so heated from climbing up there that it felt like had just jumped into a pool during the hottest of summers. The stars were so big, so beautiful that they looked like the twinkles in someone's eye and as Daiki called their magic number, he spread his duel wings and hovered at the edge of space.

That high, he could only take a breath once every few seconds as his lungs pulled every ounce of oxygen they could manage to store it in his thickened blood. It was an odd feeling, but he was fine as sucked in air like a fish does water. Each breath was suspended in his lungs for several moments before bleeding out and when they were empty, he took another gulp as Wakamatsu's voice came into his ears.

_“Drop him now, Kagami and get your ass back down here, or you suffocate! You're underdeveloped, so you can't hang up there long!”_

Taiga's lips moved, but there was no sound, no words. There simply wasn't enough air to produce his voice, only enough to maintain his wings. He wanted to stay up there, to stare out at the rounded globe below him, but he knew he couldn't. He would come back to this edge, this oblivion on the edge infinity, and as he looked down, Daiki gave him a single nod.

That was when he opened his hands.

He watched as Daiki's arms and wings spread as he fell backwards, almost in slow motion and suspended in a swan dive. It was beautiful to watch as he flipped over, putting his head down towards the Earth and tucked his wings where he disappeared in an instant in a dive so fast that orange began to glow.

With a final look up towards the blackness of what hung just out of reach, Taiga turned himself back towards his own planet and began to fly straight down.

* * *

 

Where the air heading up was cold, the air coming down was the exact opposite. His wings were tucked in so close to his body that it streamlined him like a bullet. He was a bomb rushing for the earth, surrounded by a soft orange glow as the air created friction and heat. With his heads up display, he knew how fast he was going and he wanted more, rather needed more.

He gave his wings a few sharp downbeats, accelerating him faster and faster and the wind and building heat was whipping by so fast that the pressure was weighing itself down on his skull. His eyes kept a close eye on his rapidly descending altitude, but he doubted that it was keeping up with how fast he was diving. Nothing was that fast, which left him having to eyeball it himself.

During the last few months, he had a trained to become familiar with his ability, he had also learned that his eyes could judge his speed and acceleration just as keenly as any machine. This was his element, the element of speed, of precision and he knew he could it. He could build a shockwave and unleash it.

Glancing at his speed, he gave his wings a few more beats to bring him closer and closer to the barrier, that simple line that was so thin that it could be shattered with a hiccup. He danced on its edge as he noticed the orange tinted vapor beginning to build around his body. He could feel the pressure against his skin, how it compressed and whirled as if it, itself, was dancing over his skin. It was heated, a circular ring that orbited around him and that was where he hung as the ring grew thicker.

* * *

 

He didn't want to move an inch, because if he did, his whole body screamed. Every muscle and every bone was coated in lead, but the worst was the radiating pain in his side where the combat knife was stuck.

Drawing in a painful breath, Teppei opened his eyes and winced hard as he pushed himself up onto his elbow, moving as slow as he could so not to whimper like a scared little girl. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't, and with that in mind, he glanced down to examine his wound.

The knife was buried up to its hilt in his side, but only a minimal amount of blood had seeped through to stain the top of his pants. He knew that if he pulled it out, his wound would gush, so as much as he wanted to yank it out, he rested a careful hand on it, threading the handle between his fingers as he fully sat up with a hard hiss through clenched teeth. He looked around for something to wrap around himself, but between the dead man laying next to him and the debris, there was nothing of use.

He held his breath as he climbed to his feet, keeping his hand on his wound as he started to painfully walk out through the office doors. Each step was shuffled and dragged, forcing him to lean against the wall with his failing strength, and he doubted that he could even fly, but with every last whim of himself, he started to trudge back up the stairs.

He needed to stop halfway to take a breather, but eventually, he reached the top and started for the balcony where he saw the four other Stock standing and completely unharmed. He managed to smile that they were alright, but it soon faltered into a grimace as he fell to his knees. His strength was on fumes.

Hearing the hard thump, Reo and the others looked back through the door, seeing Teppei collapsing onto his side. They all immediately bolted for the door and ripped it open, dropping down onto the floor where they gently rolled Teppei into the awaiting arms of the Stock he had yet to meet; A boy his age with short black hair and narrow eyes, and with his left ear pierced with a tag that simply read #5.

“Teppei!... Oh my god. What happened?” Reo asked, his voice worried as he helped to gently lean the Titan back into #5's arms.

“N-No one told me that Hanamiya could fight.” Teppei groaned out, breathing heavily as he leaned his head back against the boy's chest.

“We're sorry! We didn't know!” The one known as Ryō plead, bowing his head over and over again.

“Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault.” Teppei breathed out, still clutching his wound, but with the added help of the boy whom he was leaning back against.

“Don't think too much of it. Ryō Sakurai is a dear boy, but often apologizes for things out of his control. He's the most innocent of us.” Reo said, resting a kind hand against the apologetic boy's cheek.

“I'm sorry.” Ryō mumbled out as he shied into his own shoulders and avoided looking at anyone.

Teppei lightly coughed, “I haven't met the rest of you.” He blew out forced breaths to help him through the throbbing pain.

“I'm Kotarō Hayama and the boy behind you is Yoshitaka Moriyama. He was just about to be retired before all this.” The happy looking blonde boy said with the small fang that peaked out from under his top lip.

Teppei nodded, “Pleasure... Look, we've gotta get out of here. Midorima and Takao are below and looking to blow the base and since there's no chance in hell I'm flying like this, we've gotta think of another way.” He winced as he let Yoshitaka remove his hand from around the knife by uncurling one finger at a time.

“Well, you surely aren't going anywhere in this condition. You can barely walk.” Reo said as he examined the knife still stuck in Teppei's side.

“I'm lucky I made it up here.” Teppei said, just laying back against Yoshitaka because it caused the least amount of pain.

“Clearly... We can't move you and risk that knife falling out. It's stopping you up currently, so just... sit still while we figure something out.” Reo said, brushing a sweat clumped lock of hair off Teppei's forehead.

All Teppei did was nod as he focused on breathing, letting his weight drop down against the boy propping him up. He was so tired, so exhausted from his fight and wounds that all he could really do to any skilled degree was listen.

“Reo-Nee... Without a way to fly, we're stuck. How are we gonna escape with all that chaos out there?” Kotarō asked, his eyes displaying actual worry and concern as Reo stood and began to tear a long strip off the bottom of his robe.

“What about a truck?” Ryō tossed out as he threaded a thin arm beneath Teppei's back to grasp the end of the strip Reo had torn off.

Teppei's throat clenched up with his held breath as he stifled a yelp when the strip was threaded around his back and wrapped around the knife to keep it in place. The pain spiked angrily, but forcing himself to breath, a hand came to rest on his forehead to keep his head back against a shoulder.

“Ssh-... Relax... The pain lessens when you ease your body.” Yoshitaka said in a hushed whisper, holding onto Teppei just a bit tighter to keep him from arcing at the pain.

“You try to relax with a knife in your gut.” He unintentionally snapped through clenched teeth.

He grit his teeth together harder as he forced himself to breath, squeezing his eyes shut, but a hiss of pain came anyways when Reo began to tighten the makeshift bandage around his midsection. It was so hot that he just wanted to wail, but when a pair of soft hands came to rest along both sides of his jaw, his eyes opened and met slate green.

“Ssh-... Just breathe.” Reo said softly, his eyes half lidded and far too captivating to look away from.

Teppei whimpered, intended to protest, but then another hushed voice fluttered into his ear.

“Ssh-... Relax.” Kotarō said, his voice nothing more than hushed words, yet his eyes too, were half lidded and alluring.

“Ssh-... Rest.” Came another voice, this one from Ryō whose eyes were the same as the others, just larger and with his cheek softly brushing against a bare shoulder from where his robe had slipped off.

Teppei, for some reason, couldn't look away from their eyes, how they drew him in as if he was being pulled along. They were soft, delicate and they were sapping him of what energy he had left.

“W-What... are you... d-doing?” Teppei asked, his voice airy and drawn back as his head lolled against Yoshitaka's shoulder.

“Ssh-... Rest, Dear Titan. You've done your job. Now let us do ours.” Reo said, his words soft and intoxicating while his lips plumped while they moved.

Teppei was having trouble keeping his eyes open, “D-Don't... m-milk... m-me.” He tried speaking, but it was getting much more difficult by the second.

“There's nothing for you to fear. Just rest and when you wake, we'll all be safe. Just sleep, Dear Titan, and let your body be taken by the wind to where there is no more pain, no more despair. Let it loll you like a child, cradled in the clouds and touched by the sun... Sleep, Dearest Titan... Sleep.” Yoshitaka whispered softly into Teppei's ear, his fingers lacing through his hair to calm the Titan down.

Those airy words were like listening to the wind on a warm summers day, how it kissed his skin and robbed him of all his energy. He suddenly felt oddly warm as he lay there, embraced back against the other boy whose long fingers threaded through his hair over and over. His whole body was weighing itself down again and with each passing second, each airy word, his eyelids began to fall.

“I leave it... to you... Reo.” Teppei said, his words needing to be carried by his exhaling breath.

“I'll take of it. Just rest... Just rest... Just rest.” Reo repeated in his sultry voice as he withdrew that last of Teppei's energy.

With the Titan finally asleep, Reo took his hands back and finished tying the makeshift bandage together until it was snug against the wound, the knife still clutched in the bloodied fabric. With Teppei asleep, it afford the Stock a chance to contribute to their own freedom.

“The truck outside... The one parked in the garage. We can take that and break through the front. It's a deuce and a half, so that fence won't stop it.” Kotarō said, his voice still quiet, but lacking the sultry flare that lolled Teppei to sleep.

“It's certainly a viable plan. Can the three of you care for him?” Reo asked, brushing aside a lock of Teppei's hair to clear it from his closed eyes.

“I think so. What'll you do?” Ryō asked, his eyes returned to normal.

“I'll clear the way. Take your time with him. I'll be back as soon as I can.” Reo said before reaching out to both boys and bringing them to him.

He placed lingering kisses to their hair before letting them go, rising to his feet and doing the same with Yoshitaka. They were brothers, comrades in arms as it were and had leaned on each other simply to make it through their ordeal. They were close, closer than most, and Reo would be damned if any of them were to get hurt. Not on his watch.

Tightening the belt around his hips, but letting his rope hang mostly open to show his chest, Reo hurried down the hall and down the stairs. The four guards they had taken down earlier with still there, not having moved an inch and he knelt down to the first one to search his pockets.

He wasn't looking for a set of keys for the truck, he was looking for the start code for the truck. He searched the tactical vest, his pants pockets, even cared to look in the breast pockets of his fatigue blouse, but there was nothing. He searched the next guard, only to garnish the same result, and the next, but none seemed to have the code. Not even the injured guard he had squeezed in the kitchen had the start code to the truck. Without it, they weren't going anywhere.

Reo rushed to the front of the house and down the hall, only to freeze in the doorway and stare at the dead body that used to be Lieutenant Makoto Hanamiya. He felt nothing for that man. No sympathy, certain no empathy, and absolutely zero sadness. He now lay in the bed he had made and that was where he would stay. He quickly shook off the sight and began to search the body, again, just like the others, finding no code. Not even the desk, which was completely destroyed and as such, had released their anklets, would yield what he was looking for.

Getting frustrated, Reo hurried back down the hall and headed for the kitchen, bypassing the elevator door and turning left through the reading nook. On the side was a single door that lead into a small courtyard that was fenced and topped with Constantine wire. On sunny days, the Stock were let out to bask in the sun to help keep their moods up, but it was what was on the other side that he was headed for.

With the alarms still blaring, the guards had cleared out, leaving him open grass to run through as he made for the door. He silently prayed that the door would be open, that the guards had forgotten in the chaos, but when he reached it and grabbed the handle, the heavy bolt that held the door closed thunked against the door jam. It was locked.

“Damn... Pardon my language.” Reo grunted to himself as he planted his hands on his hips.

He pursed his lips together as he racked his brain, looking around the courtyard and beyond the fence to make sure he wasn't about to be caught in something nasty. The alarms were annoying, grating against his every nerve and the more they blared, the more angry he got. He had never been one for brute force, as he enjoyed far more eloquent methods, but on the occasion when brute force was needed, he would make it look good.

Huffing out a sigh, Reo took a step back from the locked door and rolled out his shoulders to loosen himself up, but when a distant glimmer of orange broke into his peripheral vision, he looked up at the sky.

The large choppers were already in the air and were starting to bank towards the building where the females were kept, but that distant sparkle of amber was getting bigger and fast. His brows drew down as he watched the orange glow take on more definition, turning into a large ring that surrounded a singular object that he couldn't quite make out. It was a dark object, one that seemed so small in comparison to that large fiery ring that surrounded it, but that's when he realized that that fiery ring wasn't some supernatural force, but rather one built by the son of the Wind King; Daiki Aomine.

Before he could react, the alarms were completely drowned out by the tremendous blast of a sonic boom so loud that Reo dropped to the grass on his backside in awe. The fiery ring erupted outwards in a shockwave, coloring the sky with orange and yellow that contrasted so greatly against the black that the stars behind it were hidden by its brightness. It was so brilliant and so beautiful that Reo couldn't look away, and thus, saw that very wave of sound and fire hit the choppers.

The boom was gone in an instant, leaving behind only the alarm, but he could still hear the desperate wails of the choppers as their engines began to give out. They shook and rocked as those inside leaped down onto the nearby roofs of the the detention buildings, only to be chased when the choppers came down. They crashed into the buildings and the ground, where they burst into massive flames whose heat Reo could feel from where he stood. The choppers were down and had erupted into burning infernos that lit the base as if it was daylight.

As much as he wanted to admire the Wind-wing's work, he couldn't. He had to get to the truck at all costs. They were the only ones who couldn't fly and without their wings, it was their only chance. The whole of the base was so dispersed by the flames of the choppers and the severity of what was going on, even guards were fleeing and aiding their injured, so with a sucking breath, Reo pushed himself up, spun on his heel with a raised leg and kicked the door.

The first kick, just rattled the door, but with each one after, the door jarred further and further inwards. Even being kept feminine so that the Studs would pine more over him, not being allowed to fly and the muscle paralytic that he had endured to paralyze his wings, his legs were his strongest feature. His thighs could and have squeezed the life out of a man, have allured both straight and gay individuals to lust after wanting those legs wrapped around them, and it was those very legs that broke the bolt inside the door.

With one final kick, the door flew open with a metal twang as the bolt snapped, dropping an end to the floor as Reo stepped through into the garage. It was lit still despite the harsh jarring from the crashed choppers, and the truck was right where it should be. However, there were two guards that now stared at him whom were frozen where they stood with crates in their arms.

“Well well well... What're you doing out of your room?” A guard asked, hulking his crate up into the back of the large covered truck before turning his gaze back to Reo.

Reo had to think fast, and simply reacting, he did the only thing he could think of considering the chaos outside.

“Please! You have to helps us! One of us is hurt! He... He... He hit his head when the choppers went up! Please! He's bleeding so badly!” Reo begged, running for the pair in his act as his robe slipped off a shoulder.

“What the?... Why would I help you?” The larger guard froze as he leaned back against the truck, pinned there as Reo clutched his vest and acted out his weeping.

“Please! You don't understand! He's all I have! I love him! I'll do anything!” Reo continued, burying his face into the guard's chest as he played his part.

“Rick... The Lieutenant'll have our asses if we let one of his Stock die. We should probably go help.” The smaller guard said with a tap to his buddy's shoulder.

“Please! I'll do anything! I'll keep your secret, I'll... I'll... I'll let you take me! Here! Now! Just please!” Reo prattled on, lifting his head to show his actually tearful and saddened eyes.

The taller guard known as Rick stood up stick straight, raising his hands so not to touch the begging Stock whom still clutched his uniform, “Whoa!... I ain't like that! Get the fuck away from me you dirty ass feathered freak!”

In that instant, Reo dropped the act and stood up straight, coming to stand taller than both the guards. He crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, releasing an exasperated sigh as both the guards just glanced at each other in confusion.

“Of all the guards I could've run into and I get one of you. Any other guard would have jumped at the chance to lay with me. I guess I'll have to do this the hard way.” Reo near sang as he turned to step away.

“Huh?... Wait, what's going-”

Before the smaller guard could even finish talking, Reo's bare heel smashed into his jaw with a hard crack, knocking him to the floor in a single kick before he snapped the same leg in the other direction to crack his foot into the other guard's cheek. The smaller of the two guard's was already down, but apparently, the remaining guard was up for a few more rounds.

“That actually hurt... Didn't think a lithe bitch like you could kick that hard.” The guard hissed at Reo, rubbing his jaw as he backed away a few steps and widened his stance.

Reo twitched his mouth to the side, “Bitch huh?... Alright. I've been called worse.” He simply shrugged, keeping his eyes locked on the guard as he crossed his arms.

“If you wanna dance, lets go. I'll level you out.” The guard growled as he raised his fists.

However, no amount of training, or knowledge, could have prepared him for what came. Where Reo, at first glance, appeared to be a fragile flower, he was actually a terrifying fighter with his long legs as his weapon. The guard was left to defend as Reo's kicks plowed into his ribs, cracking them with each hit and they were coming so fast that he barely had time to shift his weight in an attempt to minimize the damage. He tried tucking his elbows in, hunching over just enough to protect his core, but Reo took that opportunity without even a second thought.

Planting his foot, Reo pivoted around on his heel and hooked his other leg around, catching the guard by the neck and yanked him down to the floor. He never let him go as he continued the spin, following the guard to the floor and pivoting to straddle the guard's rump as he dropped down, pinning him beneath him where he wrapped his fingers around the guard's neck.

“It was a cute attempt... Now where's the start code for the truck?” Reo demanded, leaning over just far enough to let his hushed voice flutter into the guard's ear.

The guard gargled as he tried to breathe through the grip on his neck, but with a shaky finger, and with hope that if he answered the man's question, his deceiving hands would release his throat. He pointed to the cab of the truck, still gargling, still choking, but instead of releasing his throat, Reo, tightened all that much more to dig his fingernails into the guard's flesh.

It only took a minute for the guard to fall limp, but he was just that. He was just unconscious as Reo released him and rose to his feet. He rushed to the truck's cab and pulled open the door, finding the code tag he needed resting on the driver's seat. He snatched it before running back out of the garage and across the courtyard where he burst back into the house and ran upstairs.

Yoshitaka hadn't moved as he continued to cradle the still sleeping Teppei, but the other two had gathered their bed sheets and where slipping them beneath the large Titan as gently as they could.

“I've got the truck, but we must hurry.” Reo hurried, helping to hoist Teppei's form up where he was placed in the bed sheets.

Between the four of them, handling Teppei's bulk wasn't too difficult, rather just awkward as they hulked him down the stairs as carefully as possible so not to run the risk of dropping him. It took a few extra minutes, but once they had gotten him to the first floor, it was a dash back to the courtyard and into the garage.

“Lower him here.” Reo said softly as all four of them lowered Teppei to the floor near the rear of the truck.

Once the Titan was safely on the ground, Reo plucked his ear piece and radio from his vest, slipping it into his own before clicking on the radio.

“This is Reo Mibuchi... Is someone on this channel?” Reo asked into the comms, just watching Teppei drawing in slow, but even breaths.

 _“Reo! What're you doing on comms? Are you ok?”_ Came Takao's voice near as soon as Reo had stopped talking.

“We're all fine. We're out of the Stock house, but your Titan friend is badly hurt. We're gonna get him out with a truck.” Reo said, shifting his gaze up to Ryō, whom was clutching Teppei's limp hand.

 _“Teppei?”_ It was Riko's voice.

“Yes, but he's alive. Where do we go?” Reo asked.

_“This is Wakamatsu. Drive out of the front gate and I'll meet you a mile down. I'll take you to the others.”_

“Alright. You'll know it's us.” Reo said before setting the radio back onto Teppei's chest.

On Reo's count, the four heaved and lifted Teppei up, slipping him into the back of the large truck before Reo grabbed the radio and bolted for the driver's seat. He had spent enough time in the transport trucks to know how to drive the damn things, and with a simple flick of his finger, he activated the start up program and dialed in the start code.

With a loud hum, the truck powered up and the headlights flicked on, but before starting off, Reo got out and rushed to the back of the truck. The others had already climbed in, and with a soft blown kiss to them, he closed the back and locked it before climbing back up into the truck and shutting the door.

“We're getting out of here.” Reo said to himself before slamming his bare foot down onto the accelerator.

* * *

 

Takao was shaking, unable to take in breaths that weren't stuttering, or short. His chest hurt and his eyes stung from the tears they were barely able to hold back. He felt cold. He felt dead and even though his foundation was knelt down in front of him, his large hands gently grasping his cheeks and stroking his thumbs beneath his eyes, he felt lost.

“Kazu... It'll be ok... We're both gonna be ok.” Shintarō said, his voice low and shaky as his eyes shimmered like glass.

“W-Why?... W-Why did we have to? I-It's not fair, Shin-Chan... It's not fair.” Takao whimpered, lifting his hands to place them over Shintarō's still on his cheeks.

“No... But we were fair. We couldn't let them suffer like that. We were fair to them and we gave them a gift they've longed for.” Shintarō said, his words airy, but sweet as he lean forward to rest his lips against Takao's forehead.

Takao nodded and sniffled, “I know... It just hurts. I feel like we've taken lives we had no right to take.”

“We had no choice... I feel better knowing that they're at peace now, instead of letting them suffer another second. We did the right thing... Never forget that, Kazu.” Shintarō said as he glanced around their last white room.

Every door was sliced with thin slits from two razors, thrown by his wings to relieve the pain of the ones inside their cells. For three levels, they had looked inside each specimen cell, but it had been more of the same, more suffering, more blood, more self induced wounds. All the lab specimens had been too far gone to be saved and some died on their own right before their eyes. They had eased the pain of three levels worth of Angelika.

Takao sucked on his own lips, “I won't... I'm just scared of the nightmares. I don't want anymore nightmares.” He said, gazing deep into Shintarō's eyes to help him find peace.

“And you won't... So long as I'm here, you won't.” Shintarō said softly.

Their little world was shattered when the whole facility shook, being rocked with an explosion from up top that shuttered the walls. Splits and cracks streaked down the smooth surfaces as if the ground itself was shaking and as Shintarō covered Takao and crossed his large wings over them for shelter, the cover of an air vent rained down from the wall from the quake and grazed down over his wings to skitter across the floor.

“What was that?” Takao asked, his nerves beginning to steel from the severity of what they had done.

“I don't know, but we need to move. Lets get to the labs.” Shintarō said as he stood and brought Takao with him.

They sprinted from the room and back down the corridor towards the elevator shaft, but instead of going back inside, Takao led Shintarō around the corner towards the labs. Since they had cleared the three levels above that had housed the lab specimens, they were already in a prime position of an access panel with the hopes of setting off the self destruct.

“Here! This one!” Takao yelped, skidding to a halt at a darkened, glass walled office and trying to pry open the locked door.

However, when the door didn't budge, Shintarō attempted to push Takao aside so he could sheer the bolt with a razor, but Takao refused to move. Instead, he shot the Razor-wing a sharp look that made him take a step back, which also gave Takao some room.

“I love you, Shin-Chan... From the bottom of my heart, but I'm not weak anymore. I can do this.” Takao said sweetly, softening his gaze as he pulled a holstered pistol from his thigh.

With Shintarō's nod of approval, Takao took aim at the card reader locking the door and pulled the trigger, popping off two rounds that blasted the device into sparks and small bits. The red light immediately went out entirely, but the telltale clunk of the door unlocking was easily heard, as Takao had known, that as a safety feature when the power went out, all locks were automatically unlocked. It was why the detention blocks used regular key locks.

The door unlocked, Takao holstered his weapon and pushed the door open where the lights immediately flicked on, but when they stepped through, Shintarō and Takao were met with a pair of Humans in white lab coats that were cowering in the corner.

“Don't hurt us! Please!” The first begged; a woman with curly brown hair that was pinned up with a claw clip.

Shintarō's brows furrowed, “You're scientists here?”

“No! Lab assistants! We work the night shift to watch over the specimens!” The other cowered more; a male no older than the woman whom was actually smaller than her.

“And what, exactly were you watching for?” Shintarō said with a growl and a glare.

The small male gulped, “How long it took for the virus to be fatal!”

Both Shintarō's and Takao's eyes shot wide.

“V-Virus?” Takao exhaled in a shaky voice.

“Yes!... It was being developed as a programmable weapon to use against certain kinds of people during conflict! Like if we wanted those with blue eyes to get sick! That kind of thing!” The woman near squealed with fear as she continued to cower.

Shintarō's teeth bared, “Is it contagious?”

“W-What?”

“Is it contagious! Answer me!” Shintarō demanded, rocking forward on one foot with his wings bristling with exposing razors.

“No! No, no, it's not! It was designed to only affect those directly exposed! Not to spread! Besides, if it was, we already have the cure!” The women yelped as tears poured from her eyes.

“We euthanized your specimens... Shot right through the doors... Are we in danger?” Takao asked, somehow keeping his voice from rising in panic.

“No! The alarm would have gone off if there was a breach! We swear! Just don't kill us!” The small male plead.

Shintarō's fists clenched at his sides while his wings continued to bristle, glinting with hints of silver from the razors he was producing with his quickly rising anger. Nothing made him angrier than hearing that the Humans were using his kind as guinea pigs to test new ways to kill each other and he was so hot with rage that it took several moments before he realized that Takao had rested his hand on his arm.

“Shin-Chan... We're ok.” He near whispered, his eyes once again soft to help defuse the Razor-wing.

Hearing Takao, how soothing his voice was, Shintarō forced his breathing to ease itself and calm down. He knew it was impossible to lie through fear, knew that it was the best truth serum there was and if Takao believed it, so would he.

“Access the self destruct systems.” Shintarō ordered, setting his eyes narrow as he glared at the pair of terrified Humans.

“W-What?”

“Do it!” Shintarō barked with more loud bristling of his wings.

The small male hurried at the sharp bark, rushing for the flat computer on the desk, or risk pissing the Razor-wing off even more. His fingers blasted over the displayed keyboard as he brought up the system and that was when a female, yet robotic voice piped throughout the facility.

_“Self... destruct... system... active... Please... enter confirmation... code.”_

“You need the General's ID. It won't activate otherwise.” The man said, stepping back from the console.

“Shit-” Shintarō swore, only to be cut off.

_“This is Reo Mibuchi... Is someone on this channel?”_

“Reo! What're you doing on comms? Are you ok?” Takao immediately answered, covering his right ear with his hand.

_“We're all fine. We're out of the Stock house, but your Titan friend is badly hurt. We're gonna get him out with a truck.”_

Takao glanced at Shintarō with worry clear in his eyes while others chattered over their comms. They turned their gazes to the still frightened Humans whom had returned to cowering back against the wall as if they were awaiting a firing squad. They were so close to finally making the nightmare go away, so close to finally being done and there was no mountain they weren't willing to scale to make it happen.

“Akashi! We need the activation code from the General.” Shintarō said into his comms once the chatter had ceased.

_“Then you shall get it. Stand by.”_

* * *

 

_**Tetsuya: I am so excited... Akashi-kun's big part is coming up and it's one of my favorites.** _

_**Ryōta: Oh I know! I love the way Akashicchi talks and makes it so infallible and chilling!** _

_**Seijūrō: You both are too kind.** _

_**Takao: Is it the right time now?** _

_**Shintarō: No!** _

_**Takao: Now?** _

_**Shintarō: Jesus Christ, Takao! I said no! Now stop pestering me!** _

_**Atsushi: You should just do it, Mido-Chin.** _

_**Shintarō: Not you too!** _

 


	22. Episode 22

**Episode 22**

 

The fires from the downed choppers raged outside the wall of windows, having drawn the attention of those inside the office that overlooked the base. The massive sonic boom had rattled the windows so hard, that more than a few had cracked, one had even broken out completely and Seijūrō and General Harasawa now stood before it, watching the fires burn into the night.

“Now do you understand the lengths we will go?” Seijūrō asked after their period of silence, never looking away from the downed choppers that burned and popped with small explosions.

“I always knew how far... It's the same distance we Humans have traveled time and time again to right our own wrongs.” General Harasawa said, huffing a short breath through his nose as the large deuce and a half truck blasted through the front fence to level it out.

“Such a sorted history.” Seijūrō said calmly, clasping his hands behind his back.

“We only have ourselves to blame. No one else. I have often wondered if it would be better to just let the fires burn and wipe it all away.” Harasawa said, just watching the flames as they consumed and how clean a slate they could provide if he just let them.

“A new start born from destruction. We cannot have one without the other. An age old sentiment, General.” Seijūrō said, finally tearing his eyes away from the scene outside of the windows to look up at the taller man.

“One that I've often thought about.” Harasawa said simply.

“It would seem you have done a lot of thinking in recent years. You haven't let go of that name for seventeen years.” Seijūrō said, watching the man's face.

“And I'll hang onto it until my dying day. Sometimes I think at night; What happened to him? Where did he go after he escaped? Is he even still alive?... Perhaps I could begin to heal my broken soul if I knew those answers.” Harasawa said, glancing back down at the young Crimson Emperor.

“Perhaps I can bestow a gift, should you make the decision to end this, General. It's time to end this torment, this plight that has plagued you for years. The Angelika are not to be feared. Those who live now, we never asked for the war, so why continue this?” Seijūrō asked, looking back up at the man.

Harasawa shook his head, “I honestly don't know.”

“Then its time to let the fires burn.” Seijūrō said as he fully turned to fully face him.

He simply watched the man continue to stare out the cracked and broken windows with so much distance in his eyes that he swore the man was staring at the back of his own head after traversing the globe. Seijūrō could see in those distant eyes that they were hollow, soulless, yet desperate to find that soul they had lost. They were the eyes of a man whom had only ever dreamed about being Human, how to recover it after signing in blood on the dotted line from the clutches of pure evil. This man, this broken husk of a man, wanted to just walk away.

 _“Akashi! We need the activation code from the General.”_ Came Shintarō's voice chattering into his ear.

“Then you shall have it... Stand by.” Seijūrō said into his comms and drawing the attention of the man beside him.

“I take it that was one of your people?” Harasawa asked, whose eyes had returned to their normal distance.

Seijūrō nodded once, “It was... General, if you're willing, I have an offer for you.”

Harasawa just remained silent as he gazed into two crimson orbs.

“Give me the code to activate the self destruct, and I will give you that gift that could possibly begin the healing process.” Seijūrō said, briefly glancing at Atsushi, Himuro and Hyūga whom just stood silent and watched.

The General's eyes narrowed for the briefest of moments, “I can't help, but notice that you've yet to use your ability on me. Why don't you just force me to give it to you?”

“Because what would that accomplish? As soon as the fires died, you would rebuild and pick right back up where you left off. There would be no resolution because it wasn't your decision. For this to truly end, General, than it must be, or this war continues until the Angelika are right and truly gone.” Seijūrō said, holding the General's gaze without a hitch in his breath.

General Kasunori Harasawa's mind was entirely blank, so blank that a desert had more life in it than his thoughts. It was in that moment of utter silence, utter blankness that he felt just how hard his heart was beating and how stale the air smelt. He hadn't tasted food in seventeen years. Hadn't smelled the flowers in bloom. His world was black and white in his eyes, where he could only dream about seeing color again. He wanted to, would pay any price and now he had his price.

“Alpha-Charlie-17756890.”

* * *

 

Ryōta was running out of options. Without his batons, his meager punches did little to nothing to the super soldier named Haizaki. Even cracking a few knuckles against his jawline made Ryōta's hand scream in pain as if he had punched steel, and unless he either found a weak spot, or help came, the odds of winning were dwindling by the second.

Shaking out his right hand whose knuckles were starting to bruise, Ryōta sucked in several breaths to help calm his heart as Haizaki stomped towards him with clenched fists. He shuffled back a few steps before bounding forward, ducking left as Haizaki swung to dodge the hit before plowing his fists into the rock wall that was the Human's gut. The shock of it vibrated through the entirety of Ryōta's arm, making him wince, but that didn't stop him from arcing back to dodge yet another hit that swung wide over his head.

However, with remarkable speed for such a monster, Haizaki aborted his attempted swing and grabbed a fistful of Ryōta's shirt, yanking him up to grab another fistful before easily lifting him up off the floor. Ryōta struggled against the monster's hold, clawing and kicking, but it was too firm as Haizaki drew him back and slammed the blonde against the wall.

“Gah!” Ryōta barked as Haizaki pulled him away from the wall, only to slam him back into it.

“Stupid little birdie!” Haizaki growled, slamming Ryōta back again.

Each hit cracked the wall behind him, caving it in more and more as the back of his head snapped back against the wall. Ryōta grit his teeth together hard as he held his breath, having inflated his lungs to help fight against the hits, but each one forced the air out before he was done with it. He gripped the monster Human's shoulders and dug his fingernails in, hoping to cause him enough pain to let him go, but the grin across his face told him otherwise.

With another hard hit, Ryōta was desperate to get free, so using his grip on Haizaki's shoulders as leverage, her arced his knee up high and cracked it into his chin. He instantly dropped to the floor as Haizaki stumbled back holding his jaw, snarling down at him with his intent clear in his eyes. All Ryōta had time for was a quick cough before climbing to his feet, having to use the shattered wall to help support him before Haizaki was on him again. He managed to duck once, but still recovering from the slams, Haizaki's right hook caught him in the gut.

There was no way Ryōta could mitigate the damage with the wall behind him, but when Haizaki's fist barreled into his gut, it felt like he had gotten hit by a car. Every wisp of air was forced from his lungs and his ears were filled with pops and cracks that were followed with immense pain. His whole torso was alight that his eyes blurred, making it impossible to see the next hit.

With a tremendously strong punch, Haizaki's knuckles cracked into Ryōta's jaw, sending him flying and sliding along the floor. White spots danced across his vision as hot blood poured from his mouth, his jaw thumping painfully, but the inferno in his gut was so much worse. He couldn't breath, could barely see and moving was near impossible. He tried coughing to force his lungs to work, but they refused to hold air and as his blurry eyes watched Haizaki walk closer, cracking his knuckles and grinning crookedly, Ryōta was starting to be consumed with fear.

“What should I crush first?... Your wings?... Arms?... Legs?... Oh! I know! How about I rip your balls off first since you fight like you don't have any.” Haizaki grinned, shaking out his hands as he stepped closer and closer.

Ryōta gasped for more air as he forced himself to pull himself backwards, desperately trying to regain himself to stand up, but he barely had enough air to make his voice work, let along power his muscles.

“D-D-Don't... t-t-touch... m-m-me.” Ryōta wheezed out through his barely there breaths, forcing another few coughs to make his diaphragm start working again.

“Make me.”

Ryōta's eyes shook as his fear rose, still trying to claw himself away from the nightmare coming at him. He knew he didn't have enough power to take on such a beast, and without something stronger, or a weapon, he had no hope. His breath somewhat returning, Ryōta closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable.

“Hey! Get the fuck away from him!”

The sudden new voice made Haizaki stop dead in his tracks, only a few steps away from where he lay. His eyes snapped open and looked passed the Human, all the way down the hall to the other side where his brother stood, panting heavily from exertion and having returned from ridding the skies of the choppers.

Daiki Aomine.

With a sneer, Haizaki turned to face the newcomer, growling and with eyes narrow with annoyance.

“Another birdie? Can't you wait till I'm done with this one?” Haizaki growled as he glowered down the hall at the darker skinned boy.

“Oh, sure.... Yeah, my bad. Go right ahead... What the fuck do you think, Moron?” Daiki snapped at him, having removed his oxygen tank and was now holding it in his hand.

Haizaki's brows furrowed hard, “So you wanna play too, huh? Let's hope you're a better fighter than pipsqueak here.” He said, fully turning to put Ryōta at his back and face Daiki.

“It wasn't a fair fight.” Daiki growled as his available hand clenched into a fist.

“And what makes you think you'll do better?” Haizaki asked as he started towards him with heavy steps.

“You hurt my brother... I'm pissed off!”

Faster than Ryōta's eyes could watch, Daiki was airborne, screaming down the hall despite having his wings tucked into his body. The air whistled from how fast Daiki was suddenly moving and with a metal clang that made him flinch, Daiki rocketed the oxygen tank square into Haizaki's face.

“Shit!” Ryōta yelped in surprise, his voice hoarse, but starting to work again.

Haizaki fell back and dropped hard onto the floor as Daiki planted his feet, skidding and spinning to come to a halt with his back towards Ryōta. His golden eyes shifted to look at the tank still in Daiki's hand and the bottom of it was caved with a rough impression of a Human face.

“Y-You didn't it, Aominecchi. You boomed the choppers.” Ryōta breathed out as Daiki turned around to help him up.

“Yeah... Sorry it took me so long. I had to coast for about five miles before I could turn around.” Daiki said, gripping Ryōta's hand and pulling him up to his feet where the blonde wrapped an arm around his gut.

Ryōta just nodded as he looked passed his brother towards the Human laying on the floor. Blood poured from his face and all he could think to do was cringe at the state of it. His jaw was noticeably unhinged and his nose was pushed into his face so far that it up had dented his skull. For all he knew, the man was dead, but his lips parted in a silent gasp as his chest rose and fell with an erratic pattern.

Somehow, Haizaki was still alive.

“How did he survive that?” Ryōta asked, lightly clearing his throat as he pointed at the man.

Daiki glanced back and shrugged, “Don't know. Wasn't really caring whether he did, or not.”

“I guess super soldiers are full of surprises.” Ryōta managed to crack a lopsided smile as he tried to stand up straight.

Daiki nodded, “What else is left to do here?”

“Um... The nursery paddock and I don't think anyone's gotten to the Stud blocks yet.” Ryōta said, biting back a cringe as he swiped his hand across his forehead.

“Shit... And Takao's the only Stock left. I heard the others took off in a truck with Kiyoshi over the comms.” Daiki said as he tossed the tank down the hall before starting towards the double doors that lead to the nursery paddock.

“Aominecchi!... Wait. I'll go into the paddock. You get to the Studs.” Ryōta said, stopping Daiki by grabbing his arm.

“You gonna be alright? You're beat up pretty good.” Daiki smirked as he circled Ryōta's face with a finger.

“I'll be fine. Just go.” Ryōta said as he let go.

Daiki nodded before raising a hand to his ear, “Hey, Mibuchi! You still on?”

 _“Yes... Who is this?”_ Came Reo's voice.

“I need your help clearing the Stud blocks.” Daiki said, glancing at Ryōta.

There was a moment of silence, _“I understand. You intend to weed out whom can and cannot be saved.”_

“It's not glorious, but-” He was suddenly interrupted when a detached and robotic female's voice came down from over their heads.

_“Attention... Attention... Self... destruct... in... ten... minutes... All... personnel... evacuate.”_

The robotic message began to repeat itself as Daiki and Ryōta gasped at each other, eyes wide and mouths open in disbelief.

“Get your ass back here ASAP, Mibuchi! The self destruct just started counting down!” Daiki roared into the comes.

_“I'm on my way. Meet me on the roof of the Stud barn.”_

Ryōta and Daiki immediately parted ways and rushed in opposite directions, with Ryōta disappearing through the doors while Daiki sprinted up the stairs. He passed each level without hesitation while the message repeated over and over, counting down the clock until the base went up in an inferno. His heart hammered in his chest as he took the stairs in huge bounds, leaping over the landings before continuing up. They had no time and it made him feel as if it was snipping at his heels. Even when he reached the roof, needing to shield his eyes and face from the intense heat of the burning chopper that had crashed into it, he rushed for the next building just as Kasamatsu lowered down, carrying Reo beneath his arms.

“We've got no time! Let's go!” Daiki shouted over the blaze as he rushed for the rooftop door with Reo on his heels.

Daiki swiped the card and ripped open the door to rush inside and hurry down the stairs. The building looked exactly like the other, but when they burst out onto the fourth floor, it was entirely different.

Instead of being white, one side of the hall was slate blue, while the other was comprised of glass. The cells were bigger than jail holding cells, but as they stepped up to the first cell, both were startled when the Stud it housed slammed into the glass.

Both Daiki and Reo jolted back against the solid wall, eyes wide from shock and hearts racing in their chests. The Stud's pale eyes were wild, crazed as he roared at the glass, baring teeth as he slammed his fists. His tongue licked the glass as his crazy eyes never wavered from Reo, tracking his every move, every step. The Stud's wings bristled, their feathers ruffled and messy, but large and black. His barely covered body was ripped with muscle and with the only piece of clothing the white shorts he was wearing, it left little to the imagination that he desperately wanted to get to Reo.

“Jesus Christ... He wants you bad.” Daiki breathed out as the Stud roared and pounded the glass, licking and grabbing at his groin as Reo paced in front of him.

“This whole level should be Studs on the verge of retirement, but they should be tripping the safety procedures. Why aren't they?” Reo asked, looking away from the vulgar acts of the Stud still trying to get to him through the glass.

“A chopper hit the building. Maybe that's why. Is there another way?” Daiki asked.

Reo nodded, “There's a control room at the other end before the stairs.” He said, staying on the opposite side of the hall to put distance between him and the crazed Stud.

“Then lets get going... Come on.” Daiki said before taking the first step.

The next cell housed another crazed Stud, and another, and another, and another. They were all too far from their own minds as they roared and pounded against the glass, trying with all their might to get to the Stock that walked by. They never needed to stop until they reached the closed door of the control room where Daiki swiped the card to unlock it and stepped inside.

“Of all the fucks!... Could this be more complicated?” Daiki growled with irritation as he looked at the control console that was nothing, but screens and control displays.

“There are perks to what I do.” Reo said with a coy smirk as he gently pushed Daiki aside and began to work the console.

Daiki's brows furrowed as he watched, “What the... How do you-... Nevermind. I'm good. I don't need to know.” He pinched the bridge of his nose.

Reo simply smirked a bit wider, but it soon vanished as he swiped a finger over the controls to seal all the cells. It drove home that none from that level could be saved, which meant he was sealing the fates of a dozen Angelika.

“There... The gas is set. They won't wake up.” Reo said, blowing out a saddened breath as the console indicated that the gas was being pumped into the cells.

Daiki's chest hurt, but with the robotic female still alerting them to the approaching destruction of the base, neither had much time to dwell. He grabbed Reo's arm and ran from the control room without looking back before bursting through the door to rush down another level. He didn't want to hear, didn't want to see and as they reached the next level, he steeled his resolve and burst through the door.

They quickly walked down the identical hallway, being startled again by raving Studs that were practically foaming at the mouth, but that tiny flicker of hope began to burn when the last one before the control room housed a Stud no older than Reo. He hadn't reacted at all and in fact, had started to cry when Reo opened his cell and lead him out, thanking them through his tears. It helped to ease a burden on both their shoulders that they had gotten to save one, but it was short lived as they pressed on.

The robotic female continued to count down, and they were quickly running out of time, but Daiki pushed on, running down the halls to each control room and sealing away the rapid Studs. Each level down, another few younger ones were set free and by the time they reached the end of the first level and Reo didn't have to seal any away, they had released two dozen boys from their hell.

_“Attention... Attention... Self... destruct... in... four... minutes... All... personnel... evacuate.”_

“We need to go now!” Daiki roared over the voice overhead as he lead the group towards the closest set of doors.

No one argued as they ran, a flurry of bare feet to Daiki's only booted ones. The closer they came to the front door, the hotter it felt and Daiki knew that a downed chopper was right outside. The double doors were thrown open to a wave of hot air that robbed them all of oxygen, as smoke and crumbled debris littered the ground outside. The fires burned hot, forcing them to run out and not stop until they stood in the center of the base, but when they did, they found themselves surrounded by a dozen guards armed with guns.

“Freeze! Don't move!” A guard barked.

“Are you idiots? This place is gonna blow! Get the fuck out of here!” Daiki roared at them, raising his hands up and hoping they wouldn't shoot.

“Hand over the livestock!”

“We aren't fucking livestock! What is it with you people? Why is it when you look at us, that's what you see?” Daiki fumed, smacking his hand into his chest and with harshly furrowed brows.

No one spoke.

“We're people! We walk, talk, think, feel, just like you! We bleed the same fucking color, but why do you hate us? What did we do wrong?” Daiki howled over the fires as he looked at all the guards, turning in a circle to see every single set of eyes.

“You started the war!”

“I didn't! No one here did! Those who did are long gone! Dead and buried! We're just kids you forced into a life of slavery and despair! We're innocent!” Daiki yelled, his heart beginning to hurt from how hard it is was beating.

The guards started to look at each other.

_“Attention... Attention... Self... destruct... in... two... minutes... All... personnel... evacuate.”_

“We have to go now, or we die.” Reo said, his voice low.

“Please! Lower you guns and we'll get you out of here!” Daiki screamed with a pop in his deep voice.

He was on the verge of begging, on the verge of doing whatever it took just to live another day whether it be oppressed, or free. His lungs hurt from smoke, his eyes burned with tears and his heart ached from having to pump so much blood for so long. The countdown that boomed all around them was making it impossible to think as he looked at the boys they had saved, at Reo who's eyes reflected his own. They didn't want to die, not there, not then, and as one minute remained, he decided to take the chance.

“Can you boys fly?” Daiki asked as he looked at the two dozen boys with them.

They all nodded.

With one last look at the guards, seeing that many had somewhat lowered their weapons, that was all the cue he needed.

“Grab one and fly!”

Daiki hooked his arms beneath Reo's and downbeat his wings hard, launching them skywards as the others all snatch a Human and rose right behind them. They rose skyward as fast as possible, flying through rising smoke and flames without even slowing as the wind rushed by them and the ground fell away. The robotic female whom had been counting down became more distant to the point that he couldn't hear it any longer, but that was fine with him. It was a flurry of wings as they flew higher and further away, and just when they reached far enough where they couldn't feel the heat against their skin any longer, the countdown ended.

With an eruption that reminded them of a volcano, a giant fireball filled the night sky like the rising sun, decorated with smoke and fairy like sparks as the base blew. Daiki could feel the renewed heat at his back as they rose, only stopping once his skin felt the slightest tinge of coolness to tell him that he was far enough away from the rising mushroom cloud, but he knew there was no time to rejoice, as there were voices he needed to hear.

“Taiga! Ryōta!... Somebody answer me!” Daiki called into his comms, forcing himself to steady his breathing as the whole group hovered and watched the base continue to go up in flames from more, much smaller explosions.

His comms were quiet, silent in his ear and with every passing second, his eyes started to well with the thought that he had lost a brother, or worse. That he had lost them all. He couldn't imagine living this life alone without them, as they were all he had, all be could count on, but that thought was quickly pushed aside by a single voice.

 _“We're all here, Daiki. Come to our position.”_ Seijūrō's voice said.

Daiki started to breathe again as he turned and lead the group to where they had told him, putting the base at their backs and never looking back. The night was still dark, only lit by the glistening moon that shifted its position in the sky. He knew it was passed midnight, but he didn't care. All he wanted was to get to his brothers.

It was a short flight, but all of them were greeted as the rescued Studs landed and released the Humans they carried. Daiki set Reo down before planting his feet, but he had barely enough time to get out of the way before Daiki was tackled by his brothers. All of them.

“We did it, Aominecchi! We did it!” Ryōta yelped with so much joy as he, Taiga and Tetsuya all wrapped him up.

“Fuck yeah! Everyone got out ok?” Daiki asked, quickly returning the embraces of his brothers.

“Yes... We're all here.” Shintarō said, whose arm was wrapped tightly around Takao whose eyes glistening with pure joy.

“Not bad, guys... Not bad at all.” Daiki started to laugh as he looking through the group to see the single nod that told him it was finally over.

Seijūrō softly smiled at the sight while he scanned the group, how the women cradled the children and the freed Studs seemed to weep with their joy at being free. The Humans stood off a bit, but didn't engage the Angelika while Hyūga and his friends worked to remove the flight collars from the womens' necks. The two lab assistants that Shintarō and Takao fled the base with were embraced in each others arms, just comforting each other and overjoyed that they were alive while Takao himself, had gone to his friends and was lifting the fallen shoulder of Ryō's robe to cover him. Tetsuya and several others admired Taiga's wings, completely stunned that the knot had been an indication of what was happening to him and standing next to him, having been carried by Atsushi when they fled, was the General whom could only stand in awe.

“I couldn't ask for a better outcome, though we did lose several lives.” Seijūrō said calmly as he clasped his hands behind his back and continued to watch.

“I'm sure they will not be forgotten.” General Harasawa said quietly.

“Neither has my promise, General... This way.” Seijūrō motioned with his head for the Human to follow.

The General sucked in a nervous breath as he followed the boy around the group towards the truck where Wakamatsu and Riko sat around a body. His heart sank at the thought that they were tending to their dead, but when they drew closer, he saw that the body was sitting up with a pair of open dark eyes.

“Is he stable enough?” Seijūrō asked simply.

Wakamatsu nodded as his eyes set hard on the General, “Yeah.”

“This is General Kasunori Harasawa. He needs to speak with him.” Seijūrō said.

Wakamatsu and Riko shared a glance before looking at Teppei, whom simply nodded to tell them that it was alright. They slipped out of the truck and dispersed into the group to help in other ways, while General Harasawa climbed up and sat down on the bench, only to realize that the young Crimson Emperor hadn't climbed up as well.

“General... As promised, this is the gift I bestow upon you for your help. You took the first step in your healing, now take another. I would like you to meet Teppei Kiyoshi.”

As Seijūrō simply turned and left, giving them a semblance of privacy, General Harasawa sat frozen with wide eyes and mouth agape. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think as he somehow managed to turn his gaze to the meet the boy's, but where he had been expecting hatred and malice, there was neutrality and a softness in the boy's dark eyes that eased his shock away.

“You've heard my name before.” Teppei said, his voice a bit strained as he rested a hand over his bandaged stomach that no longer had a knife sticking out of it.

The man nodded, “Y-Yes... Seventeen years ago, I heard it.” He said with a gulp as his hands started to shake.

“I thought Humans didn't care to know our names.” Teppei said, keeping his voice calm as he watched just how much the man was avoiding his gaze.

“A young girl told it to me after she gave birth to her first child... A Titan baby boy she wanted to name Teppei Kiyoshi.” General Harasawa said with a slight crack in his voice.

Teppei's lips parted, “My mother?”

Harasawa nodded, “Yes... She was fifteen when she gave birth to you.” He clenched his hands together as he hung his head.

“What about my father?” Teppei asked.

Harasawa shook his head, but refused to look up, “He was an older Stud. He's long gone by now.”

“I see.” Teppei swallowed.

“It was your name that's kept me up at night... Robbed me of my dreams, my sense of taste, smell... After you escaped, I had always wondered what happened to you and when I told your mother that you were gone, that you were out there in this world that hated you, she cried tears of joy. She cried and smiled about it until the day she died.” Harasawa said, finally looking up to show Teppei the welling tears.

“How'd she die?” Teppei asked with a growing pain in his chest.

“She died of cervical cancer. She was 23 when she died and just before she did, she gave me something that I've held onto all this time. Not a day has gone by that it hasn't been in my pocket.” Harasawa said as he blew out a shaky breath.

Teppei squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, “What is it?”

Sucking in a huge breath, Harasawa sat up and peeled open the breast pocket of his uniform jacket, pulling out a faded yellow paper that was folded one too many times. Its edges were torn, battered from age and the seems along the folds were dangerously close to tearing apart. He could tell that whatever it was had been looked at often and when Harasawa handed it to him, he gulped, held his breath and carefully unfolded it.

 

_My Dearest Teppei,_

 

_I lay here in this bed writing this letter with the hopes that maybe one day, it will find you. I've entrusted it to Kasunori, as he isn't a bad man, but a broken one. The Angel War wasn't just devastating for the Angelika, but both sides, as each and every soul involved lost a piece of ourselves. I lay here dying happy, because it was your face that brought me joy. I was young, yes, pregnant with a child I never asked for, but I loved you just the same. You will always be my first, Teppei, and I hope that when you do read these words, you can find it in your heart to forgive._

_I know that seems so impossible, but know that I have. I forgive them for what they've done and what they are doing, but they're lost just like we are. It's not their fault and I hope, I dream that one day, both Human and Angelika can help each other find their way. Times are hard now, yes, and wherever you are, I hope you smile like you did the day you were born. Never forget, that even though I wasn't there to raise you myself, I was always with you and even gone, I will never leave you behind. The day Kasunori told me you had escape was the second happiest day of my life, only second to the day you came into it._

_My sweet baby boy, I know times are going to be hard for you, but find comfort in these words before I can't say them anymore. I love you, Teppei and I always will no matter where you are. I love you, My Son. May your wings carry you to freedom and happiness._

 

_Love Always,_

_Your Mother._

 

His lungs burned for breath, and when his eyes finally grazed over the last words, he gave it to them. He sucked in as his eyes spilled over, but the ache in his chest didn't go away. His heart hurt so much, he wished it would explode just to put him out of his misery, but it wasn't misery he was feeling. His heart was so high up that he felt like he was floating in space. He felt free, lifted of a burden he had been carry for so long, only to leave behind a sense of weightlessness and it was a feeling he was relishing in.

“I've carried that for almost a decade, hoping to fulfill a promise I made. I'll understand if you hate me for everything that's happened, but I'm still going to ask... Can you forgive me?” Harasawa asked, swallowing passed the lump in his throat.

Teppei sniffled as he started breathing again steadily, swiping his hand over his cheeks to rid them of clinging tears. His eyes still stared at the letter, rereading it over and over and no matter how many times he read it, it would still ping in his heart.

“It'll take time, but... I'll find it in my heart to forgive.” Teppei said as he set the letter down and extended a hand.

It was only a moment of hesitation, but Kasunori Harasawa reached out and took that hand of a young boy whom he'd thought he would never see grow up. He didn't care how long it would take, how many decades, or even centuries it took, he was willing to wait until that day this single boy turned into a man would find that room in his heart to forgive.

Deep down in his chest, in a heart he had thought only beat out of necessity, a flicker of his soul began to burn once more as color started to return.

* * *

 

Her school days felt empty and pointless. Every day she would arrive at school with the dwindling hopes that the boys would return, but every day she was only met with disappointment. Day in and day out, she would try to text one of them, or call Daiki, only to receiving nothing back. Daiki's phone after a couple of days of trying even went straight to voicemail, but that never deterred her from trying.

After the first week the boys hadn't returned from their cabin, she had called the police, hoping for any information, but there was none to give. She filed a missing persons report, only to sit and wait, and after the first month, she had started asking around. Day in and day out, she tried to find where her Rainbow Dork Squad had gone, and day in and day out, there was no trace of them.

They were missing and had been for four months.

With a sigh, Satsuki Momoi only half listened to the teacher drone while her fingers played with the necklace around her neck that she had made herself. It was a simple ball chain, but she had threaded pretty beads and twine around it to secure the delicate dark blue feather she had found on Daiki's collar the day before they all went missing. It was the only thing to remind her that they did, at some point, exist in her world and for four months of wondering, waiting and worrying, it was her safe harbor. It even still smelt like him oddly enough.

She softly sighed as she stared out the window at the sunny day, how the clouds slowly drifted across the sky in their lazy crawl and the shadows they cast along the green grass of the play fields. It was a beautiful day, one which the boys would love if they were there. She had come to loathe sunny days like this, as they always reminded her of what she had, but those days were gone and she didn't know if they were ever coming back.

As she watched the day pass by, she stared at a particularly funny shaped cloud drift over the fields, whose shadow looked roughly like a large bird. It made her crack the barest of smiles as she played with the feather, but when the cloud drifted passed, seven streaking shadows flew over with wings spread wide.

She sat up straight at the sight, but they had flown by so fast that she wasn't sure she had seen them at all. The shadows had huge wings, bigger than any she had every seen on any bird, but she had never seen such a creature whom had a set of wings so wide and strong. They were beautiful to her eyes.

“Mrs. Momoi? Is something more interesting out the window you would care to share with the rest of us?” The teacher suddenly asked, drawing Satsuki's attention in an instant as she looked straight ahead.

“N-No, Sensai! I'm sorry... I-I just got lost looking out the window.” Satsuki admitted as her cheeks colored themselves a soft shade of pink.

“Try to pay attention, Mrs. Momoi. This will be on the exam.” The teacher said plainly before returning to his lesson.

Satsuki shied into her own shoulders as she started to pay attention, but no sooner did she settle herself in, did the door to her classroom burst open and an office attendant rushed to the TV and flick it on.

“You aren't watching? You need to see this.” The attendant said as he found the right channel and stepped back.

The entire class turned to watch the TV as the Prime Minister took the stage at a very packed press conference. His aged face looked forlorn, distant almost as he scanned his massive audience, but no one, not even the teacher, could have predicted what he was about to say.

 

_“I stand before you today with the utmost intent on divulging what I would call a dirty little secret. As all of you of this nation are aware, sixteen years ago marked the end of the Angel War where our nation's greatest threat was eradicated, but I stand before you to tell you that that is not entirely true.”_

 

The whole class began to murmur in hushed whispers.

 

_“Three weeks ago, a classified base in the Northern region erupted into a ball of fire, and we thought we had lost countless lives. However, when additional forces arrived, they found most alive and well, thanks to the population of Angelika interned there.”_

 

The class gasped.

 

_“These people set aside the disdain and mistreatment that we showed them to save Human lives, and their actions have opened not only my eyes, but those of so many others as well. In total, there is a small population of 1,576 Angelika alive today, all of which were interned in four bases throughout our nation and I, as Prime Minister of this great nation, are releasing them and turning the remaining three bases into rehabilitation centers to help and support those we had no right to imprison.”_

 

The class immediately erupted into loud murmurs of disbelief, except for Satsuki whom simply watched the TV. She was shocked beyond words, beyond measure, and when the teacher yelled for the class to quiet down, all she did was continue to watch.

 

_“They are not to be feared, as those 1,576 are no older than a high school student. Those whom had been alive during the war are gone, leaving these young people to carry on their race in the face of near extinction. I know and understand it will be hard to accept them, but I have faith and trust that this nation will open its arms to these people... Let me say that again; I have faith and trust that this nation will open its arms to these people; a race of intelligent beings that we, as Humans, could learn a lot from.”_

 

The attendant switched off the TV as the class sat in utter silence, completely dumbfounded and unable to speak. None ever thought that they would hear such a thing and as Satsuki fumbled with the feather and watched, waiting for something to happen, something to be said, the door slid open once more.

When her eyes shifted to see whom was walking in, just like all the class, her eyes lit up as her magenta eyes set on dark skin and midnight colored hair. His eyes were cast down at the floor and behind him stood six more with colors of the rainbow. She rose to her feet in her stunned shock as she stared them, but stopped dead when the class gasped and Daiki's eyes shifted up to meet hers.

Resting against all their backs, tucked in tight to avoid catching on the door frames, were sets of wings in a rainbow of colors.

“D-Dai-chan?” Satsuki managed to squeak out, her hands cupped over her mouth as she stared at all their wings.

“H-Hi.” Daiki said, his voice barely there as he gulped and managed to look at the stunned class.

“Y-You have... Y-You have... w-wings?” Satsuki asked, lowering her hands as her left foot slid forward.

Daiki nodded, “Yeah.” He licked his lips from his nerves.

No one spoke as she slowly stepped closer, moving almost too slow for anyone to see her movements. She stopped when she was a step in front of him, looking all over his form and at his wings that adjusted against his back. Their color shimmered in their midnight blue, that familiar midnight blue, and with a soft gasp, she reached up to clutch the feather around her neck.

“D-Dai-chan-” She tried to speak, but her words caught in her throat as she held out the feather in her palm.

Daiki nodded as he gripped the back of his neck and looked away, “Yeah... It uh... It hurt like hell when you plucked it out.” He admitted.

She wanted to speak, desperately wanted to, but another student had beaten her to it.

“A-Atsushi?... You too?” Asked another boy from the back of the class.

The large purple Titan nodded, “Yeah.”

“H-How big his your wingspan?” Asked another nervously.

Atsushi swallowed, “Twenty feet.” He said quietly.

With a nervous roll of his stomach, Atsushi stayed where he stood as he slowly spread a wing out to the side, watching it stretch halfway down the classroom to the other students amazement.

“Whoa-” The whole class mumbled.

Satsuki finally started to breathe again, finally started to see and all she saw in front of her was seven of her closest friends. She didn't see a race of beings whom could fly, or a race that they had been at war with in the past. She didn't see any of that. All she saw where these seven boys that she had known for years and she loved each one of them, including the midnight blue angel in front of her.

“We aren't bad people, Satsuki... We're just people.” Daiki said, as he avoided her gaze.

“No... You're Daiki Aomine. And you're Atsushi Murasakibara, and Taiga Kagami, and Tetsuya Kuroko, and Shintarō Midorima, and Ryōta Kise, and Seijūrō Akashi.” Satsuki said, earning Daiki's eyes as her eyes shimmered with moisture.

Hearing her say his name, how she looked at him like she always did and not seeing him with a set of wings. Her eyes sparkled, she was even smiling as she continued to play with the feather she had kept all this time. It made him smile back and when she lunged at him with tears pouring from her eyes, wrapping him up in her arms, he held her right back with no intentions of letting her go.

She had missed her boys, whether they were Angelika, or not.

* * *

 

_**Ryōta: (Tears) That part is so beautiful! It's just so brilliant! Bravo, Momoicchi!** _

_**Satsuki: Thank you! Oh man... Those were real tears!** _

_**Taiga: Man... It's really over... Now what're we gonna do for jobs?** _

_**Tetsuya: Extra Game's coming up. We're headed back to the court.** _

_**Takao: That's right! I can't wait!... Oh! Shin-Chan! The show's wrapped! It's time right?** _

_**Shintarō: (Blushes) No! We still have the Epilogue episode, then the wrap party!** _

_**Takao: Then lets get to it!** _

 


	23. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

 

It had been a couple months of hell just trying to catch up on the homework they had missed in an attempt not to get held back a year, but with Satsuki's, as well as some other students help, the boys had managed to catch up on four months worth of work.

The summer was upon them and it was a hot one, but to celebrate their return, as well as managing not to get held back a year in high school, the boys had decided to take a long weekend to the cabin and this time, Daiki invited Satsuki.

The boys soared just above the trees on their way to the cabin, carrying what they could for the weekend while Daiki carried Satsuki held close to his chest. It was not the first time she had gotten to fly with him, as now, she wasn't screaming her head off at the rush of it. She happily held onto him as they flew and had even relished in how the wind felt through her long pink hair.

“Bout damn time... We're here, Satsuki.” Daiki said, giving her a smile that she knew reached his eyes behind his sunglasses.

“I'm so excited, Dai-chan. I've been wanting to see your cabin for ages.” Satsuki said as she returned the smile.

Daiki simply lowly laughed as the boys slowed their flight and came to a gentle hover, lowering themselves through the trees and down to the ground. Their eyes immediately set on their cabin, but it wasn't just their cabin anymore, as several more had popped up around it.

Teppei and Riko had settled into a calm in their cabin, while other freed Angelika found comfort and freedom in theirs. They had settled into simple lives, but that seemed to be alright with everyone considering how their lives had been in previous months. The boys' cabin was now apart of a growing community and now whenever they would visit, it was like visiting family.

“Shin-Chan!” Takao squealed as he bounded up to the tall green haired Razor-wing just as he planted his feet on the ground.

With a beaming smile, Shintarō wrapped Takao up and hoisted him into the air, planting a firm, yet sweet kiss to Takao's smiling lips and both relished in the feel. Satsuki softly giggled at the sight as Daiki set her down and so many more came up to greet the Seven Sons of the Seven Kings.

“Hey, Aomine! Glad to see you've managed not to sever your wings off!” Wakamatsu joked as he patted Daiki's back.

“Shut up, Waka!” Daiki snarled.

“He has been breaking the sound barrier a bit over the school. The Dean's gotten a bit miffed about it.” Satsuki giggled, not even phased by Daiki's horrified glared.

“I knew it! I fucking knew it!” Wakamatsu sneered and planted his hands on his hips.

“Who's this?” Came Riko's voice, whom was walking up with Teppei right beside her, holding a giggling little girl on her hip.

“This is the Human I told you about; Satsuki Momoi.” Daiki said, wrapping his arm around Satsuki's shoulders.

“Oh!... Hi! I'm Riko Aida and this is Teppei Kiyoshi. I won't inundate you with a bunch of names. I figured you'd learn them all in time.” Riko said as she set the little girl down whom ran off to play.

“It's a pleasure. Was that your daughter?” Satsuki asked, smiling at the little girl flap her small brown wings to try and fly.

“Oh, no... She's one of the children we saved from the base. We all kind of take care of them since it's hard to know which child biologically belongs to whom right now.” Riko said as she crossed her arms.

“A couple took to wing yesterday, Riko. Did you see?” Takao asked as Shintarō set him down, but kept him wrapped up in his arms.

“I did! They were so cute.” Riko giggled.

“I'd like to see sometime.” Satsuki said cheerfully.

“Just find a cozy spot and watch. You're bound to see something. We're all just kinda settling down and recovering.” Teppei said, smiling down at Riko whom returned it as she leaned into his healed side.

“I imagine. Dai-chan's told me what happened. I can't imagine the hardship... I'm so sorry you had to go through that.” Satsuki said as her smile began to die.

“We'll be alright. We're a tough bunch.” Teppei reassured.

“Tough doesn't even to begin to describe it.” Shintarō said, still with Takao in his arms as he started to waddle towards the cabin with chuckles radiating from Takao's throat.

Riko laughed and shook her head, “So are we going flying, or what!”

“Hell yeah we are!” Takao yelped, wiggling against Shintarō to try and get free.

“What? You wanna fly instead of spend time with me?” Shintarō goaded with a teasing tone, dropping his head to nip and play at the spot behind Takao's ear.

“We'll have time for that! Lets go fly!” Takao crinkled his nose as he giggled.

“Alright... alright.” Shintarō relented as he released Takao and took his hand.

“Oh, do tell me everyone's invited.” Reo said with a wink, walking up with his wings resting proud and naturally against his back.

“I would personally be offended if someone didn't come. The sun his high and the sky is ours.” Seijūrō said with a smile.

Their friends, no... Their family had grown so much over the last few months that if one was absent for whatever reason, it was felt by all. They all made their way to the cliff's edge nearby, all with their partners, theirs friends, their lovers. They were together to lead those whom needed leading, to guide those whom needed guidance and as Daiki took Satsuki's hand and walked with her, she truly got a sense of just what that meant.

They all stood in a row at the cliff's edge, staring off into the canyon that stretched out unhindered and inviting before them. The sun kissed their skin and the wind whisked through their hair like a lover's fingers. Shintarō and Takao were side by side as equals and lovers, joined by fate and looked after by the stars. Teppei and Riko had found peace in their hearts to forgive and so many others had finally realized what freedom truly meant. Reo and those of the Stock house got to breathe fresh air with the knowledge that their lives where their own, with wings held high and moving. The children got to know what it was like to play and all throughout their little camp that was truly their own, there was one thing that they no longer felt.

Fear.

“First to the waterfall wins!” Taiga boomed before he and Tetsuya dove from the cliff, his crimson wings a singular unit as he had flattened his second set against his primary set.

Not a second later the others dove, their wings spread wide to carry them away. Satsuki loved the way they were so confident on wing, how graceful and beautiful, even the one named Reo whose wings even flapped with grace and beauty.

With the others already racing, Daiki and Satsuki just stood hand in hand atop the cliff, watching the others they held dear fly off without them. She looked up into his calm eyes, how they reflected the sun's light and the way his hair fluttered in the wind. His skin near glistened from the heat of the day, but what she adored most was the gentle smile across his lips.

“Are you not going Dai-chan? I'll be here when you get back.” Satsuki said, reaching down to cover his hand in both of hers and draw his attention.

“I don't want you to feel left out... Plus, it's a race. The only one who can beat me in a race is me.” He said, tightening his grip around her hand as he looked down at her.

“Dai-chan... If it'll make you feel better, you'll have a handicap.” Satsuki started to snicker.

Daiki arced a brow, “Oh? What you have in mind?” He asked as he turned to fully face her.

“Take me with you.” Satsuki said.

Daiki barked a laugh as he set his hands on her hips, “Are you sure? I don't do slow, so don't start whining that I'm going too fast.” He smiled.

“I won't whine. Lets show them who's the king of speed.” Satsuki said with a wink.

Daiki couldn't stop the smile as he gently grasped either side of her jaw and bowed his head, bringing their lips together in a soft and still kiss that both smiled into. He had had no idea just how much his heart belonged to a Human, but it did. It belonged to this Human, this women whom didn't even waste a second to accept him back after he had been gone for so long. He was on cloud nine, in heaven, riding a high. Whatever he wanted to call it, it was perfect.

He broke the kiss and turned around, spreading his wings out as he crouched and let her climb onto his back. Her arms wrapped around his neck while her legs, his waist, and as he stepped up to the cliff's edge, he looked back over his shoulder at her.

“Ready to show those bastard's who's boss?” He asked, gripping her arms.

“Ready... Go get 'em, Angel.”

The sun at their backs, the wind in their hair, and with wings that had been a bane for so long, finally carried them unbound and free.

* * *

_**Lycanwolff: Thank you everyone for watching On Angels Wings! I hope you've enjoyed it as much as we've enjoyed making it!** _

_**Daiki: Catch us on the court again soon, so keep your eyes peeled for the whole GoM gang and all our stupid antics!** _

_**Taiga: They're only stupid cuz' they're your antics.** _

_**Daiki: Oi! Bakagami! You bastard!** _

_**Takao and Tetsuya: (Laughs)** _

_**Shintarō: (Clears throat) Um... Lycan, uh... Lycanwolff. Um... Do you have a moment? (Blushes)** _

_**Lycanwolff: Sure, Shin... What's up? Not going to the wrap party?** _

_**Shintarō: Um, well... (Pushes up glasses) I was actually wondering if... well, I was wondering if you'd-** _

_**Everybody on set: Do it. Do it. Do it. Do it.** _

_**Shintarō: (Blushes even more) Shut up!... Um... I was wondering if-** _

_**Lycanwolff: Dinner tonight at 7?** _

_**Shintarō: (Stands up stick straight) Uh... Yes. Dinner with me, tonight at 7. I mean, if you want.** _

_**Lycanwolff: Don't be late. (Smiles)** _

_**Takao: (Fakes wiping away a tear) They grow up so fast!** _

 


End file.
